diff --git a/drivers/net/wireless/intel/iwlwifi/pcie/rx.c b/drivers/net/wireless/intel/iwlwifi/pcie/rx.c
index a2ebe46bcfc5..395bbe2c0f98 100644
--- a/drivers/net/wireless/intel/iwlwifi/pcie/rx.c
+++ b/drivers/net/wireless/intel/iwlwifi/pcie/rx.c
@@ -898,9 +898,13 @@ int iwl_pcie_rx_init(struct iwl_trans *trans)
 			return err;
 	}
 	def_rxq = trans_pcie->rxq;
-	if (!rba->alloc_wq)
+	if (!rba->alloc_wq) {
 		rba->alloc_wq = alloc_workqueue("rb_allocator",
 						WQ_HIGHPRI | WQ_UNBOUND, 1);
+		if (!rba->alloc_wq)
+			return -ENOMEM;
+	}
+
 	INIT_WORK(&rba->rx_alloc, iwl_pcie_rx_allocator_work);
 
 	cancel_work_sync(&rba->rx_alloc);