diff --git a/src/eapol_supp/eapol_supp_sm.c b/src/eapol_supp/eapol_supp_sm.c
index 9f029b0d3..a0f27fd2b 100644
--- a/src/eapol_supp/eapol_supp_sm.c
+++ b/src/eapol_supp/eapol_supp_sm.c
@@ -189,8 +189,9 @@ static void eapol_port_timers_tick(void *eloop_ctx, void *timeout_ctx)
 	}
 
 	if (sm->authWhile | sm->heldWhile | sm->startWhen | sm->idleWhile) {
-		eloop_register_timeout(1, 0, eapol_port_timers_tick, eloop_ctx,
-				       sm);
+		if (eloop_register_timeout(1, 0, eapol_port_timers_tick,
+					   eloop_ctx, sm) < 0)
+			sm->timer_tick_enabled = 0;
 	} else {
 		wpa_printf(MSG_DEBUG, "EAPOL: disable timer tick");
 		sm->timer_tick_enabled = 0;
@@ -204,9 +205,9 @@ static void eapol_enable_timer_tick(struct eapol_sm *sm)
 	if (sm->timer_tick_enabled)
 		return;
 	wpa_printf(MSG_DEBUG, "EAPOL: enable timer tick");
-	sm->timer_tick_enabled = 1;
 	eloop_cancel_timeout(eapol_port_timers_tick, NULL, sm);
-	eloop_register_timeout(1, 0, eapol_port_timers_tick, NULL, sm);
+	if (eloop_register_timeout(1, 0, eapol_port_timers_tick, NULL, sm) == 0)
+		sm->timer_tick_enabled = 1;
 }
 
 
@@ -2141,8 +2142,8 @@ struct eapol_sm *eapol_sm_init(struct eapol_ctx *ctx)
 	sm->initialize = FALSE;
 	eapol_sm_step(sm);
 
-	sm->timer_tick_enabled = 1;
-	eloop_register_timeout(1, 0, eapol_port_timers_tick, NULL, sm);
+	if (eloop_register_timeout(1, 0, eapol_port_timers_tick, NULL, sm) == 0)
+		sm->timer_tick_enabled = 1;
 
 	return sm;
 }