diff --git a/repos/base-foc/src/core/irq_session_component.cc b/repos/base-foc/src/core/irq_session_component.cc
index 7d6e312a0c..c0fb347317 100644
--- a/repos/base-foc/src/core/irq_session_component.cc
+++ b/repos/base-foc/src/core/irq_session_component.cc
@@ -199,8 +199,18 @@ Irq_session_component::Irq_session_component(Range_allocator *irq_alloc,
 	}
 
 	Irq_args const irq_args(args);
-	_irq_object.associate(_irq_number, msi, irq_args.trigger(),
-	                      irq_args.polarity());
+	if (_irq_object.associate(_irq_number, msi, irq_args.trigger(),
+	                          irq_args.polarity()))
+		return;
+
+	/* cleanup */
+	if (msi)
+		msi_alloc.clear(_irq_number, 1);
+	else {
+		addr_t const free_irq = _irq_number;
+		_irq_alloc->free((void *)free_irq);
+	}
+	throw Service_denied();
 }