diff --git a/dutil.c b/dutil.c
index 7b66764..11fb720 100644
--- a/dutil.c
+++ b/dutil.c
@@ -179,12 +179,18 @@ Elf_Scn *elf_section_by_name(Elf *elf, GElf_Ehdr *ep,
 {
 	Elf_Scn *sec = NULL;
 	size_t cnt = 1;
+	size_t str_idx;
+
+	if (elf_getshdrstrndx(elf, &str_idx))
+		return NULL;
 
 	while ((sec = elf_nextscn(elf, sec)) != NULL) {
 		char *str;
 
 		gelf_getshdr(sec, shp);
-		str = elf_strptr(elf, ep->e_shstrndx, shp->sh_name);
+		str = elf_strptr(elf, str_idx, shp->sh_name);
+		if (!str)
+			return NULL;
 		if (!strcmp(name, str)) {
 			if (index)
 				*index = cnt;