diff --git a/elfio/elfio.hpp b/elfio/elfio.hpp
index 49cfd3c..2db86d7 100644
--- a/elfio/elfio.hpp
+++ b/elfio/elfio.hpp
@@ -138,8 +138,12 @@ class elfio
     bool load( const std::string& file_name, bool is_lazy = false )
     {
         pstream = std::make_unique<std::ifstream>();
+        if ( !pstream ) {
+            return false;
+        }
+
         pstream->open( file_name.c_str(), std::ios::in | std::ios::binary );
-        if ( pstream == nullptr || !*pstream ) {
+        if ( !*pstream ) {
             return false;
         }