diff --git a/include/asterisk/event.h b/include/asterisk/event.h
index 727553c24d..12459fc9de 100644
--- a/include/asterisk/event.h
+++ b/include/asterisk/event.h
@@ -663,9 +663,10 @@ size_t ast_event_get_size(const struct ast_event *event);
  * \param iterator The iterator instance to initialize
  * \param event The event that will be iterated through
  *
- * \return Nothing
+ * \retval 0 Success, there are IEs available to iterate
+ * \retval -1 Failure, there are no IEs in the event to iterate
  */
-void ast_event_iterator_init(struct ast_event_iterator *iterator, const struct ast_event *event);
+int ast_event_iterator_init(struct ast_event_iterator *iterator, const struct ast_event *event);
 
 /*!
  * \brief Move iterator instance to next IE
diff --git a/main/event.c b/main/event.c
index 51a3a45ab5..23fd7af8e6 100644
--- a/main/event.c
+++ b/main/event.c
@@ -935,11 +935,20 @@ struct ast_event_sub *ast_event_unsubscribe(struct ast_event_sub *sub)
 	return NULL;
 }
 
-void ast_event_iterator_init(struct ast_event_iterator *iterator, const struct ast_event *event)
+int ast_event_iterator_init(struct ast_event_iterator *iterator, const struct ast_event *event)
 {
+	int res = 0;
+
 	iterator->event_len = ast_event_get_size(event);
 	iterator->event = event;
-	iterator->ie = (struct ast_event_ie *) ( ((char *) event) + sizeof(*event) );
+	if (iterator->event_len >= sizeof(*event) + sizeof(struct ast_event_ie)) {
+		iterator->ie = (struct ast_event_ie *) ( ((char *) event) + sizeof(*event) );
+	} else {
+		iterator->ie = NULL;
+		res = -1;
+	}
+
+	return res;
 }
 
 int ast_event_iterator_next(struct ast_event_iterator *iterator)
@@ -1021,9 +1030,9 @@ const char *ast_event_get_ie_str(const struct ast_event *event, enum ast_event_i
 const void *ast_event_get_ie_raw(const struct ast_event *event, enum ast_event_ie_type ie_type)
 {
 	struct ast_event_iterator iterator;
-	int res = 0;
+	int res;
 
-	for (ast_event_iterator_init(&iterator, event); !res; res = ast_event_iterator_next(&iterator)) {
+	for (res = ast_event_iterator_init(&iterator, event); !res; res = ast_event_iterator_next(&iterator)) {
 		if (ast_event_iterator_get_ie_type(&iterator) == ie_type) {
 			return ast_event_iterator_get_ie_raw(&iterator);
 		}