diff --git a/NEWS.md b/NEWS.md
index f9a44056..5b16fd54 100644
--- a/NEWS.md
+++ b/NEWS.md
@@ -1,5 +1,7 @@
 # cpp11 (development version)
 
+* Fixed an rchk issue related to `std::initializer_list<named_arg>` (#457, @pachadotdev).
+
 # cpp11 0.5.2
 
 * Fixed an issue related to `-Wdeprecated-literal-operator` (#447, @andrjohns).
@@ -12,7 +14,7 @@
 * Because cpp11 now requires R >=4.0.0, a number of previously optional tools
   are now always available, allowing us to remove some dead code. In
   particular:
-  
+
   * `R_UnwindProtect()` is always available, so the defines `HAS_UNWIND_PROTECT`
     and `CPP11_UNWIND` are no longer useful.
 
diff --git a/inst/include/cpp11/list.hpp b/inst/include/cpp11/list.hpp
index be29bb2a..6e7dd872 100644
--- a/inst/include/cpp11/list.hpp
+++ b/inst/include/cpp11/list.hpp
@@ -78,10 +78,9 @@ template <>
 inline r_vector<SEXP>::r_vector(std::initializer_list<named_arg> il)
     : cpp11::r_vector<SEXP>(safe[Rf_allocVector](VECSXP, il.size())),
       capacity_(il.size()) {
-  unwind_protect([&] {
-    SEXP names = Rf_allocVector(STRSXP, capacity_);
-    Rf_setAttrib(data_, R_NamesSymbol, names);
+  sexp names = safe[Rf_allocVector](STRSXP, capacity_);
 
+  unwind_protect([&] {
     auto it = il.begin();
 
     for (R_xlen_t i = 0; i < capacity_; ++i, ++it) {
@@ -92,6 +91,8 @@ inline r_vector<SEXP>::r_vector(std::initializer_list<named_arg> il)
       SET_STRING_ELT(names, i, name);
     }
   });
+
+  safe[Rf_setAttrib](data_, R_NamesSymbol, names);
 }
 
 typedef r_vector<SEXP> list;
diff --git a/inst/include/cpp11/r_vector.hpp b/inst/include/cpp11/r_vector.hpp
index 576f4fe6..1131b554 100644
--- a/inst/include/cpp11/r_vector.hpp
+++ b/inst/include/cpp11/r_vector.hpp
@@ -864,10 +864,9 @@ inline r_vector<T>::r_vector(std::initializer_list<named_arg> il)
     valid_length(value, 1);
   }
 
-  unwind_protect([&] {
-    SEXP names = Rf_allocVector(STRSXP, capacity_);
-    Rf_setAttrib(data_, R_NamesSymbol, names);
+  sexp names = safe[Rf_allocVector](STRSXP, capacity_);
 
+  unwind_protect([&] {
     auto it = il.begin();
 
     for (R_xlen_t i = 0; i < capacity_; ++i, ++it) {
@@ -891,6 +890,8 @@ inline r_vector<T>::r_vector(std::initializer_list<named_arg> il)
       SET_STRING_ELT(names, i, name);
     }
   });
+
+  safe[Rf_setAttrib](data_, R_NamesSymbol, names);
 }
 
 template <typename T>
diff --git a/tests/testthat/_snaps/register.md b/tests/testthat/_snaps/register.md
index 37afbf49..aea86b76 100644
--- a/tests/testthat/_snaps/register.md
+++ b/tests/testthat/_snaps/register.md
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-# get_call_entries: returns an empty string for packages with .Call entries and NAMESPACE files
+# get_call_entries / returns an empty string for packages with .Call entries and NAMESPACE files
 
     Code
       call_entries
@@ -11,7 +11,7 @@
       [6] "    {NULL, NULL, 0}"                           
       [7] "};"                                            
 
-# get_call_entries: works with multiple register functions.
+# get_call_entries / works with multiple register functions.
 
     Code
       cat(read_file(cpp_bindings))
@@ -60,7 +60,7 @@
         R_forceSymbols(dll, TRUE);
       }
 
-# cpp_register: works with a package that registers a single c++ function
+# cpp_register / works with a package that registers a single c++ function
 
     Code
       cat(read_file(r_bindings))
@@ -104,7 +104,7 @@
         R_forceSymbols(dll, TRUE);
       }
 
-# cpp_register: can be run with messages
+# cpp_register / can be run with messages
 
     Code
       cpp_register(p, quiet = FALSE)