diff --git a/drivers/nvmem/core.c b/drivers/nvmem/core.c
index 9ca24e4d5d49..2a0c5f3b0e50 100644
--- a/drivers/nvmem/core.c
+++ b/drivers/nvmem/core.c
@@ -609,7 +609,7 @@ static struct nvmem_device *nvmem_find(const char *name)
 	d = bus_find_device(&nvmem_bus_type, NULL, (void *)name, nvmem_match);
 
 	if (!d)
-		return NULL;
+		return ERR_PTR(-ENOENT);
 
 	return to_nvmem_device(d);
 }