diff --git a/drivers/nvme/host/tcp.c b/drivers/nvme/host/tcp.c
index 9165f2d44d50..89b5f493a052 100644
--- a/drivers/nvme/host/tcp.c
+++ b/drivers/nvme/host/tcp.c
@@ -1748,8 +1748,11 @@ static int nvme_tcp_alloc_io_queues(struct nvme_ctrl *ctrl)
 		return ret;
 
 	ctrl->queue_count = nr_io_queues + 1;
-	if (ctrl->queue_count < 2)
-		return 0;
+	if (ctrl->queue_count < 2) {
+		dev_err(ctrl->device,
+			"unable to set any I/O queues\n");
+		return -ENOMEM;
+	}
 
 	dev_info(ctrl->device,
 		"creating %d I/O queues.\n", nr_io_queues);