diff --git a/cpu/cpu_darwin.go b/cpu/cpu_darwin.go
index 3ffca8d..c61a470 100644
--- a/cpu/cpu_darwin.go
+++ b/cpu/cpu_darwin.go
@@ -5,6 +5,7 @@ package cpu
 
 import (
 	"context"
+	"errors"
 	"fmt"
 	"strconv"
 	"strings"
@@ -152,6 +153,10 @@ func perCPUTimes(machLib *common.Library) ([]TimesStat, error) {
 		return nil, fmt.Errorf("host_processor_info error=%d", status)
 	}
 
+	if cpuload == nil {
+		return nil, errors.New("host_processor_info returned nil cpuload")
+	}
+
 	defer vmDeallocate(machTaskSelf(), uintptr(unsafe.Pointer(cpuload)), uintptr(ncpu))
 
 	ret := []TimesStat{}