diff --git a/test/compare_sgemm_sbgemm.c b/test/compare_sgemm_sbgemm.c
index cd508a0cf4..b8aaee8be3 100644
--- a/test/compare_sgemm_sbgemm.c
+++ b/test/compare_sgemm_sbgemm.c
@@ -85,6 +85,14 @@ float16to32 (bfloat16_bits f16)
 
 #define SBGEMM_LARGEST  256
 
+void *malloc_safe(size_t size)
+{
+  if (size == 0)
+    return malloc(1);
+  else
+    return malloc(size);
+}
+
 int
 main (int argc, char *argv[])
 {
@@ -100,13 +108,13 @@ main (int argc, char *argv[])
   {
     if ((x > 100) && (x != SBGEMM_LARGEST)) continue;
     m = k = n = x;
-    float *A = (float *)malloc(m * k * sizeof(FLOAT));
-    float *B = (float *)malloc(k * n * sizeof(FLOAT));
-    float *C = (float *)malloc(m * n * sizeof(FLOAT));
-    bfloat16_bits *AA = (bfloat16_bits *)malloc(m * k * sizeof(bfloat16_bits));
-    bfloat16_bits *BB = (bfloat16_bits *)malloc(k * n * sizeof(bfloat16_bits));
-    float *DD = (float *)malloc(m * n * sizeof(FLOAT));
-    float *CC = (float *)malloc(m * n * sizeof(FLOAT));
+    float *A = (float *)malloc_safe(m * k * sizeof(FLOAT));
+    float *B = (float *)malloc_safe(k * n * sizeof(FLOAT));
+    float *C = (float *)malloc_safe(m * n * sizeof(FLOAT));
+    bfloat16_bits *AA = (bfloat16_bits *)malloc_safe(m * k * sizeof(bfloat16_bits));
+    bfloat16_bits *BB = (bfloat16_bits *)malloc_safe(k * n * sizeof(bfloat16_bits));
+    float *DD = (float *)malloc_safe(m * n * sizeof(FLOAT));
+    float *CC = (float *)malloc_safe(m * n * sizeof(FLOAT));
     if ((A == NULL) || (B == NULL) || (C == NULL) || (AA == NULL) || (BB == NULL) ||
         (DD == NULL) || (CC == NULL))
       return 1;
@@ -194,16 +202,16 @@ main (int argc, char *argv[])
     return ret;
   }
 
-  k = 1;
   for (x = 1; x <= loop; x++)
   {
-    float *A = (float *)malloc(x * x * sizeof(FLOAT));
-    float *B = (float *)malloc(x * sizeof(FLOAT));
-    float *C = (float *)malloc(x * sizeof(FLOAT));
-    bfloat16_bits *AA = (bfloat16_bits *)malloc(x * x * sizeof(bfloat16_bits));
-    bfloat16_bits *BB = (bfloat16_bits *)malloc(x * sizeof(bfloat16_bits));
-    float *DD = (float *)malloc(x * sizeof(FLOAT));
-    float *CC = (float *)malloc(x * sizeof(FLOAT));
+    k = (x == 0) ? 0 : 1;
+    float *A = (float *)malloc_safe(x * x * sizeof(FLOAT));
+    float *B = (float *)malloc_safe(x * sizeof(FLOAT));
+    float *C = (float *)malloc_safe(x * sizeof(FLOAT));
+    bfloat16_bits *AA = (bfloat16_bits *)malloc_safe(x * x * sizeof(bfloat16_bits));
+    bfloat16_bits *BB = (bfloat16_bits *)malloc_safe(x * sizeof(bfloat16_bits));
+    float *DD = (float *)malloc_safe(x * sizeof(FLOAT));
+    float *CC = (float *)malloc_safe(x * sizeof(FLOAT));
     if ((A == NULL) || (B == NULL) || (C == NULL) || (AA == NULL) || (BB == NULL) ||
         (DD == NULL) || (CC == NULL))
       return 1;