diff --git a/mrbgems/mruby-bin-debugger/tools/mrdb/mrdb.c b/mrbgems/mruby-bin-debugger/tools/mrdb/mrdb.c
index a135b0fa7..c2f736871 100644
--- a/mrbgems/mruby-bin-debugger/tools/mrdb/mrdb.c
+++ b/mrbgems/mruby-bin-debugger/tools/mrdb/mrdb.c
@@ -674,15 +674,8 @@ main(int argc, char **argv)
  l_restart:
 
   if (!MRB_OPEN_SUCCESS(mrb)) {
-    if (mrb) {
-      /* Initialization failed - print exception details */
-      mrb_print_error(mrb);
-      mrb_close(mrb);
-    }
-    else {
-      /* Allocation failed */
-      fputs("Failed to allocate mrb_state, exiting mrdb\n", stderr);
-    }
+    mrb_print_error(mrb);  /* handles NULL */
+    mrb_close(mrb);        /* handles NULL */
     return EXIT_FAILURE;
   }
 
diff --git a/mrbgems/mruby-bin-mirb/tools/mirb/mirb.c b/mrbgems/mruby-bin-mirb/tools/mirb/mirb.c
index 77ab8ce6b..c26dcfdd3 100644
--- a/mrbgems/mruby-bin-mirb/tools/mirb/mirb.c
+++ b/mrbgems/mruby-bin-mirb/tools/mirb/mirb.c
@@ -476,15 +476,8 @@ main(int argc, char **argv)
   /* new interpreter instance */
   mrb = mrb_open();
   if (!MRB_OPEN_SUCCESS(mrb)) {
-    if (mrb) {
-      /* Initialization failed - print exception details */
-      mrb_print_error(mrb);
-      mrb_close(mrb);
-    }
-    else {
-      /* Allocation failed */
-      fputs("Failed to allocate mrb_state, exiting mirb\n", stderr);
-    }
+    mrb_print_error(mrb);  /* handles NULL */
+    mrb_close(mrb);        /* handles NULL */
     return EXIT_FAILURE;
   }
 
diff --git a/mrbgems/mruby-bin-mruby/tools/mruby/mruby.c b/mrbgems/mruby-bin-mruby/tools/mruby/mruby.c
index 38274c399..fc56900c3 100644
--- a/mrbgems/mruby-bin-mruby/tools/mruby/mruby.c
+++ b/mrbgems/mruby-bin-mruby/tools/mruby/mruby.c
@@ -283,15 +283,8 @@ main(int argc, char **argv)
   mrb_value v;
 
   if (!MRB_OPEN_SUCCESS(mrb)) {
-    if (mrb) {
-      /* Initialization failed - print exception details */
-      mrb_print_error(mrb);
-      mrb_close(mrb);
-    }
-    else {
-      /* Allocation failed */
-      fprintf(stderr, "%s: Failed to allocate mrb_state, exiting mruby\n", *argv);
-    }
+    mrb_print_error(mrb);  /* handles NULL */
+    mrb_close(mrb);        /* handles NULL */
     return EXIT_FAILURE;
   }
 
diff --git a/mrbgems/mruby-test/driver.c b/mrbgems/mruby-test/driver.c
index d1decad8b..7caecd54e 100644
--- a/mrbgems/mruby-test/driver.c
+++ b/mrbgems/mruby-test/driver.c
@@ -291,15 +291,8 @@ main(int argc, char **argv)
   /* new interpreter instance */
   mrb = mrb_open();
   if (!MRB_OPEN_SUCCESS(mrb)) {
-    if (mrb) {
-      /* Initialization failed - print exception details */
-      mrb_print_error(mrb);
-      mrb_close(mrb);
-    }
-    else {
-      /* Allocation failed */
-      fputs("Failed to allocate mrb_state, exiting test driver", stderr);
-    }
+    mrb_print_error(mrb);  /* handles NULL */
+    mrb_close(mrb);        /* handles NULL */
     return EXIT_FAILURE;
   }
 
diff --git a/src/error.c b/src/error.c
index ffb9e4792..487e1afc7 100644
--- a/src/error.c
+++ b/src/error.c
@@ -845,6 +845,11 @@ MRB_API void
 mrb_print_error(mrb_state *mrb)
 {
 #ifndef MRB_NO_STDIO
+  if (!mrb) {
+    /* mrb_open() returned NULL - allocation failed */
+    fputs("Failed to allocate mrb_state\n", stderr);
+    return;
+  }
   if (mrb->jmp == NULL) {
     struct mrb_jmpbuf c_jmp;
     MRB_TRY(&c_jmp) {