diff --git a/drivers/thermal/thermal_core.c b/drivers/thermal/thermal_core.c
index 328da2f1d339..449e60c4a1b6 100644
--- a/drivers/thermal/thermal_core.c
+++ b/drivers/thermal/thermal_core.c
@@ -892,7 +892,8 @@ __thermal_cooling_device_register(struct device_node *np,
 	cdev->device.class = &thermal_class;
 	cdev->devdata = devdata;
 
-	if (cdev->ops->get_max_state(cdev, &cdev->max_state))
+	ret = cdev->ops->get_max_state(cdev, &cdev->max_state);
+	if (ret)
 		goto out_kfree_type;
 
 	thermal_cooling_device_setup_sysfs(cdev);