diff --git a/gtk/gtklabel.c b/gtk/gtklabel.c
index e51300379e..def986faeb 100644
--- a/gtk/gtklabel.c
+++ b/gtk/gtklabel.c
@@ -1598,17 +1598,19 @@ pango_start_element (GMarkupParseContext *context,
         }
 
       attr = attribute_from_text (data->builder, name, value, error);
-
-      if (attr)
+      if (!attr)
         {
-          attr->start_index = start_val;
-          attr->end_index = end_val;
-
-          if (!data->attrs)
-            data->attrs = pango_attr_list_new ();
-
-          pango_attr_list_insert (data->attrs, attr);
+          _gtk_builder_prefix_error (data->builder, context, error);
+          return;
         }
+
+      attr->start_index = start_val;
+      attr->end_index = end_val;
+
+      if (!data->attrs)
+        data->attrs = pango_attr_list_new ();
+
+      pango_attr_list_insert (data->attrs, attr);
     }
   else if (strcmp (element_name, "attributes") == 0)
     {