diff --git a/src/common/display.c b/src/common/display.c
index 09bf67e7..ff70c587 100644
--- a/src/common/display.c
+++ b/src/common/display.c
@@ -99,6 +99,19 @@ static void guac_common_display_free_layers(guac_common_display_layer* layers,
 
 }
 
+/**
+ * Allocates a display and a cursor which are used to represent the remote
+ * display and cursor. If the allocation fails then the function returns NULL.
+ *
+ * @param client
+ *     The client owning the cursor.
+ *
+ * @param width
+ *     The desired width of the display.
+ *
+ * @param height
+ *     The desired height of the display.
+ */
 guac_common_display* guac_common_display_alloc(guac_client* client,
         int width, int height) {
 
@@ -107,14 +120,18 @@ guac_common_display* guac_common_display_alloc(guac_client* client,
     if (display == NULL)
         return NULL;
 
+    /* Allocate shared cursor */
+    display->cursor = guac_common_cursor_alloc(client);
+    if (display->cursor == NULL) {
+        free(display);
+        return NULL;
+    }
+
     pthread_mutex_init(&display->_lock, NULL);
 
     /* Associate display with given client */
     display->client = client;
 
-    /* Allocate shared cursor */
-    display->cursor = guac_common_cursor_alloc(client);
-
     display->default_surface = guac_common_surface_alloc(client,
             client->socket, GUAC_DEFAULT_LAYER, width, height);