diff --git a/library/tools/errors.factor b/library/tools/errors.factor
index 7d815a7fe9..33de4e618c 100644
--- a/library/tools/errors.factor
+++ b/library/tools/errors.factor
@@ -60,6 +60,10 @@ DEFER: objc-error. ( alien -- )
 : callstack-underflow. "Call" stack-underflow. ;
 : callstack-overflow. "Call" stack-overflow. ;
 
+: memory-error.
+    "Allocation of " write second pprint
+    " bytes failed due to insufficient room in data heap" print ;
+
 : kernel-error ( error -- word )
     #! Kernel errors are indexed by integers.
     second {
@@ -80,7 +84,8 @@ DEFER: objc-error. ( alien -- )
         retainstack-overflow.
         callstack-underflow.
         callstack-overflow.
-	objc-error.
+        memory-error.
+        objc-error.
     } nth ;
 
 M: kernel-error error. dup kernel-error execute ;
diff --git a/vm/data_gc.h b/vm/data_gc.h
index 6784a916f8..aea584c3b3 100644
--- a/vm/data_gc.h
+++ b/vm/data_gc.h
@@ -253,7 +253,12 @@ INLINE void maybe_gc(CELL a)
 	if(nursery.here + a + ALLOT_BUFFER_ZONE > nursery.limit)
 		garbage_collection(NURSERY,false);
 	if(nursery.here + a + ALLOT_BUFFER_ZONE > nursery.limit)
-		critical_error("Out of memory in maybe_gc",0);
+	{
+		if(nursery.here + ALLOT_BUFFER_ZONE > nursery.limit)
+			critical_error("Out of memory in maybe_gc",0);
+		else
+			memory_error(a);
+	}
 }
 
 INLINE void *allot(CELL a)
diff --git a/vm/run.c b/vm/run.c
index 45eef646cc..368a31a53e 100644
--- a/vm/run.c
+++ b/vm/run.c
@@ -349,3 +349,8 @@ void type_error(CELL type, CELL tagged)
 {
 	general_error(ERROR_TYPE,tag_fixnum(type),tagged,true);
 }
+
+void memory_error(CELL bytes)
+{
+	general_error(ERROR_MEMORY,allot_cell(bytes),F,false);
+}
diff --git a/vm/run.h b/vm/run.h
index 7c443073fa..deeb4bf077 100644
--- a/vm/run.h
+++ b/vm/run.h
@@ -168,6 +168,7 @@ typedef enum
 	ERROR_RS_OVERFLOW,
 	ERROR_CS_UNDERFLOW,
 	ERROR_CS_OVERFLOW,
+	ERROR_MEMORY,
 	ERROR_OBJECTIVE_C
 } F_ERRORTYPE;
 
@@ -192,6 +193,7 @@ void general_error(F_ERRORTYPE error, CELL arg1, CELL arg2, bool keep_stacks);
 void memory_protection_error(CELL addr, int signal);
 void signal_error(int signal);
 void type_error(CELL type, CELL tagged);
+void memory_error(CELL bytes);
 void primitive_throw(void);
 void primitive_die(void);