diff --git a/fs/erofs/zdata.c b/fs/erofs/zdata.c
index 4db8a858da37..3af123b7633d 100644
--- a/fs/erofs/zdata.c
+++ b/fs/erofs/zdata.c
@@ -329,8 +329,10 @@ int __init z_erofs_init_zip_subsystem(void)
 
 	z_erofs_workqueue = alloc_workqueue("erofs_worker",
 			WQ_UNBOUND | WQ_HIGHPRI, num_possible_cpus());
-	if (!z_erofs_workqueue)
+	if (!z_erofs_workqueue) {
+		err = -ENOMEM;
 		goto out_error_workqueue_init;
+	}
 
 	err = erofs_init_percpu_workers();
 	if (err)