diff --git a/pdf.c b/pdf.c
index 75788645e4683284cf5856045820e3e929b7e067..a193e66c4b8bb5b1665f3524ceeef5cba081f9f2 100644
--- a/pdf.c
+++ b/pdf.c
@@ -4933,7 +4933,7 @@ parse_xrefs(struct Env *aux)
 		if (res == NULL || res->ast == NULL || H_INDEX_TOKEN(res->ast, 0) == NULL) {
 			log_message(5, "VIOLATION[5]: error parsing xref section at "
 			    "position %zu (%#zx)\n", offset, offset);
-			return;
+			break;
 		}
 
 		/* save this section in xrefs */