diff --git a/bgpd/bgp_nht.c b/bgpd/bgp_nht.c
index e595a15196..d39fbec86d 100644
--- a/bgpd/bgp_nht.c
+++ b/bgpd/bgp_nht.c
@@ -338,7 +338,12 @@ void bgp_parse_nexthop_update(int command, vrf_id_t vrf_id)
 		return;
 	}
 
-	zapi_nexthop_update_decode(zclient->ibuf, &nhr);
+	if (!zapi_nexthop_update_decode(zclient->ibuf, &nhr)) {
+		if (BGP_DEBUG(nht, NHT))
+			zlog_debug("%s: Failure to decode nexthop update",
+				   __PRETTY_FUNCTION__);
+		return;
+	}
 
 	if (command == ZEBRA_NEXTHOP_UPDATE)
 		rn = bgp_node_lookup(
diff --git a/pimd/pim_nht.c b/pimd/pim_nht.c
index 7b35ca0209..5b297253b2 100644
--- a/pimd/pim_nht.c
+++ b/pimd/pim_nht.c
@@ -625,7 +625,12 @@ int pim_parse_nexthop_update(int command, struct zclient *zclient,
 		return 0;
 	pim = vrf->info;
 
-	zapi_nexthop_update_decode(zclient->ibuf, &nhr);
+	if (!zapi_nexthop_update_decode(zclient->ibuf, &nhr)) {
+		if (PIM_DEBUG_PIM_NHT)
+			zlog_debug("%s: Decode of nexthop update from zebra failed",
+				   __PRETTY_FUNCTION__);
+		return 0;
+	}
 
 	if (command == ZEBRA_NEXTHOP_UPDATE) {
 		prefix_copy(&rpf.rpf_addr, &nhr.prefix);