diff --git a/miscutils/dc.c b/miscutils/dc.c
index f94d6fa6b..9c74172ba 100644
--- a/miscutils/dc.c
+++ b/miscutils/dc.c
@@ -56,6 +56,12 @@ enum { STACK_SIZE = (COMMON_BUFSIZE - offsetof(struct globals, stack)) / sizeof(
 } while (0)
 
 
+static void check_under(void)
+{
+	if (pointer == 0)
+		bb_error_msg_and_die("stack underflow");
+}
+
 static void push(double a)
 {
 	if (pointer >= STACK_SIZE)
@@ -65,8 +71,7 @@ static void push(double a)
 
 static double pop(void)
 {
-	if (pointer == 0)
-		bb_error_msg_and_die("stack underflow");
+	check_under();
 	return stack[--pointer];
 }
 
@@ -187,6 +192,7 @@ static void print_stack_no_pop(void)
 
 static void print_no_pop(void)
 {
+	check_under();
 	print_base(stack[pointer-1]);
 }