diff --git a/src/edge_management.c b/src/edge_management.c
index 2207066..7b4a821 100644
--- a/src/edge_management.c
+++ b/src/edge_management.c
@@ -381,7 +381,10 @@ static void handleMgmtJson (mgmt_req_t *req, char *udp_buf, const int recvlen) {
     /* we reuse the buffer already on the stack for all our strings */
     STRBUF_INIT(buf, udp_buf, N2N_SN_PKTBUF_SIZE);
 
-    mgmt_req_init2(req, buf, (char *)&cmdlinebuf);
+    if (!mgmt_req_init2(req, buf, (char *)&cmdlinebuf)) {
+        // if anything failed during init
+        return;
+    }
 
     if(req->type == N2N_MGMT_SUB) {
         int handler;
diff --git a/src/management.c b/src/management.c
index a36f084..1466d47 100644
--- a/src/management.c
+++ b/src/management.c
@@ -210,7 +210,7 @@ int mgmt_auth (mgmt_req_t *req, char *auth) {
 /*
  * Handle the common and shred parts of the mgmt_req_t initialisation
  */
-void mgmt_req_init2 (mgmt_req_t *req, strbuf_t *buf, char *cmdline) {
+bool mgmt_req_init2 (mgmt_req_t *req, strbuf_t *buf, char *cmdline) {
     char *typechar;
     char *options;
     char *flagstr;
@@ -226,7 +226,7 @@ void mgmt_req_init2 (mgmt_req_t *req, strbuf_t *buf, char *cmdline) {
     if(!typechar) {
         /* should not happen */
         mgmt_error(req, buf, "notype");
-        return;
+        return false;
     }
     if(*typechar == 'r') {
         req->type=N2N_MGMT_READ;
@@ -236,20 +236,20 @@ void mgmt_req_init2 (mgmt_req_t *req, strbuf_t *buf, char *cmdline) {
         req->type=N2N_MGMT_SUB;
     } else {
         mgmt_error(req, buf, "badtype");
-        return;
+        return false;
     }
 
     /* Extract the tag to use in all reply packets */
     options = strtok(NULL, " \r\n");
     if(!options) {
         mgmt_error(req, buf, "nooptions");
-        return;
+        return false;
     }
 
     req->argv0 = strtok(NULL, " \r\n");
     if(!req->argv0) {
         mgmt_error(req, buf, "nocmd");
-        return;
+        return false;
     }
 
     /*
@@ -281,6 +281,8 @@ void mgmt_req_init2 (mgmt_req_t *req, strbuf_t *buf, char *cmdline) {
 
     if(!mgmt_auth(req, auth)) {
         mgmt_error(req, buf, "badauth");
-        return;
+        return false;
     }
+
+    return true;
 }
diff --git a/src/management.h b/src/management.h
index 3377a98..8bdc378 100644
--- a/src/management.h
+++ b/src/management.h
@@ -109,6 +109,6 @@ void mgmt_event_post2 (enum n2n_event_topic topic, int data0, void *data1, mgmt_
 void mgmt_help_row (mgmt_req_t *req, strbuf_t *buf, char *cmd, char *help);
 void mgmt_help_events_row (mgmt_req_t *req, strbuf_t *buf, mgmt_req_t *sub, char *cmd, char *help);
 int mgmt_auth (mgmt_req_t *req, char *auth);
-void mgmt_req_init2 (mgmt_req_t *req, strbuf_t *buf, char *cmdline);
+bool mgmt_req_init2 (mgmt_req_t *req, strbuf_t *buf, char *cmdline);
 
 #endif
diff --git a/src/sn_management.c b/src/sn_management.c
index 62c1994..bc580a3 100644
--- a/src/sn_management.c
+++ b/src/sn_management.c
@@ -241,7 +241,10 @@ static void handleMgmtJson (mgmt_req_t *req, char *udp_buf, const int recvlen) {
     // xx
     STRBUF_INIT(buf, udp_buf, N2N_SN_PKTBUF_SIZE);
 
-    mgmt_req_init2(req, buf, (char *)&cmdlinebuf);
+    if (!mgmt_req_init2(req, buf, (char *)&cmdlinebuf)) {
+        // if anything failed during init
+        return;
+    }
 
     int handler;
     lookup_handler(handler, mgmt_handlers, req->argv0);