diff --git a/libavformat/imf_cpl.c b/libavformat/imf_cpl.c
index a688a44711..3328a3ed18 100644
--- a/libavformat/imf_cpl.c
+++ b/libavformat/imf_cpl.c
@@ -177,6 +177,10 @@ static int fill_content_title(xmlNodePtr cpl_element, FFIMFCPL *cpl)
     cpl->content_title_utf8 = xmlNodeListGetString(cpl_element->doc,
                                                    element->xmlChildrenNode,
                                                    1);
+    if (!cpl->content_title_utf8)
+        cpl->content_title_utf8 = xmlStrdup("");
+    if (!cpl->content_title_utf8)
+        return AVERROR(ENOMEM);
 
     return 0;
 }