diff --git a/include/notcurses/notcurses.h b/include/notcurses/notcurses.h
index 3f55f7f64..ae6fffb61 100644
--- a/include/notcurses/notcurses.h
+++ b/include/notcurses/notcurses.h
@@ -33,7 +33,7 @@ extern "C" {
 #endif
 
 #define API __attribute__((visibility("default")))
-#define ALLOC __attribute__((malloc))
+#define ALLOC __attribute__((malloc)) __attribute__((warn_unused_result))
 
 // Get a human-readable string describing the running Notcurses version.
 API const char* notcurses_version(void);
diff --git a/src/pocpp/reel.cpp b/src/pocpp/reel.cpp
index c314ed543..ef3323054 100644
--- a/src/pocpp/reel.cpp
+++ b/src/pocpp/reel.cpp
@@ -126,7 +126,9 @@ int runreels(struct notcurses* nc, struct ncreel* nr){
         return 0;
       case 'a':{
         auto tctx = new TabletCtx();
-        ncreel_add(nr, nullptr, nullptr, tabletfxn, tctx);
+        if(!ncreel_add(nr, nullptr, nullptr, tabletfxn, tctx)){
+          return -1;
+        }
         break;
       }
       case 'd':