diff --git a/src/video/ataricommon/SDL_atarimxalloc.c b/src/video/ataricommon/SDL_atarimxalloc.c
index 224baef30..44b4eab09 100644
--- a/src/video/ataricommon/SDL_atarimxalloc.c
+++ b/src/video/ataricommon/SDL_atarimxalloc.c
@@ -47,6 +47,9 @@ void *Atari_SysMalloc(Uint32 size, Uint16 alloc_type)
 	if (atari_mxalloc_avail) {
 		return (void *) Mxalloc(size, alloc_type);
 	} else {
+		if (alloc_type==MX_TTRAM) {
+			return NULL;
+		}
 		return (void *) Malloc(size);
 	}
 }