static void AllocAndProcessStep2(SomeStruct *r, otherargs...) {
 // do not check r, and dereference it !!!
 if (r->somefield) {
 // do something
 }
}
static SomeStruct * AllocAndProcessStep1(someargs) {
 if (unlikelyButMayHappen(someargs)) {
 return NULL;
 } 
 SomeStruct * r = malloc(somesize);
 if (r == NULL) {
 return NULL;
 }
 // fill some r fields
 return r;
}
static SomeStruct * AllocAndProcess(someargs) {
 SomeStruct * r = AllocAndProcessStep1(someargs);
 // do not check r
 AllocAndProcessStep2(r, ...);
 return r;
}
static void Parent() {
 SomeStruct * r = AllocAndProcess(someargs);
 if (r == NULL) {
 // log error, etc...
 return;
 }
}