diff --git a/drivers/net/ethernet/mellanox/mlx4/main.c b/drivers/net/ethernet/mellanox/mlx4/main.c
index 9b6a96074df8..78b04f271344 100644
--- a/drivers/net/ethernet/mellanox/mlx4/main.c
+++ b/drivers/net/ethernet/mellanox/mlx4/main.c
@@ -3445,6 +3445,7 @@ slave_start:
 
 		if (!SRIOV_VALID_STATE(dev->flags)) {
 			mlx4_err(dev, "Invalid SRIOV state\n");
+			err = -EINVAL;
 			goto err_close;
 		}
 	}