diff --git a/pool.hpp b/pool.hpp
index aca6209b..2ce354e2 100644
--- a/pool.hpp
+++ b/pool.hpp
@@ -78,7 +78,7 @@ namespace cruft {
 
         // Data management
         [[nodiscard]] T*
-        allocate (void)
+        allocate [[gnu::malloc]] [[gnu::returns_nonnull]] (void)
         {
             // double check we have enough capacity left
             if (!m_next)