diff --git a/sway/commands.c b/sway/commands.c
index 14be656a4..d55d9a96a 100644
--- a/sway/commands.c
+++ b/sway/commands.c
@@ -608,10 +608,10 @@ struct cmd_results *config_commands_command(char *exec) {
 	}
 	if (!policy) {
 		policy = alloc_command_policy(cmd);
-		if (!policy) {
-			sway_abort("Unable to allocate security policy");
+		sway_assert(policy, "Unable to allocate security policy");
+		if (policy) {
+			list_add(config->command_policies, policy);
 		}
-		list_add(config->command_policies, policy);
 	}
 	policy->context = context;
 
diff --git a/sway/security.c b/sway/security.c
index 92de06c1d..fcd70f9d6 100644
--- a/sway/security.c
+++ b/sway/security.c
@@ -152,10 +152,10 @@ struct feature_policy *get_feature_policy(const char *name) {
 	}
 	if (!policy) {
 		policy = alloc_feature_policy(name);
-		if (!policy) {
-			sway_abort("Unable to allocate security policy");
+		sway_assert(policy, "Unable to allocate security policy");
+		if (policy) {
+			list_add(config->feature_policies, policy);
 		}
-		list_add(config->feature_policies, policy);
 	}
 	return policy;
 }