diff --git a/fs/nfs/client.c b/fs/nfs/client.c
index 28d8a57a9908..d322ed5cbc1c 100644
--- a/fs/nfs/client.c
+++ b/fs/nfs/client.c
@@ -379,7 +379,7 @@ nfs_get_client(const struct nfs_client_initdata *cl_init,
 
 	if (cl_init->hostname == NULL) {
 		WARN_ON(1);
-		return NULL;
+		return ERR_PTR(-EINVAL);
 	}
 
 	dprintk("--> nfs_get_client(%s,v%u)\n",