--- a/src/hstr_utils.c
+++ b/src/hstr_utils.c
@@ -154,6 +154,7 @@
     char *b=buffer;
     if(access(PROC_HOSTNAME, F_OK) != -1) {
         FILE *file = fopen(PROC_HOSTNAME, "r");
+        if (file == NULL) goto fail;
         b=fgets(buffer, bufferSize, file);
         fclose(file);
         if(b) {
@@ -161,6 +162,7 @@
             return;
         }
     }
+fail:
     strcpy(buffer, "localhost");
 }