diff --git a/drivers/net/ieee802154/cc2520.c b/drivers/net/ieee802154/cc2520.c
index 1e1f40f628a02..c69b87d3837da 100644
--- a/drivers/net/ieee802154/cc2520.c
+++ b/drivers/net/ieee802154/cc2520.c
@@ -504,6 +504,7 @@ cc2520_tx(struct ieee802154_hw *hw, struct sk_buff *skb)
 		goto err_tx;
 
 	if (status & CC2520_STATUS_TX_UNDERFLOW) {
+		rc = -EINVAL;
 		dev_err(&priv->spi->dev, "cc2520 tx underflow exception\n");
 		goto err_tx;
 	}