diff --git a/drivers/net/virtio_net.c b/drivers/net/virtio_net.c
index 21b71148c5324..34bb95dd92392 100644
--- a/drivers/net/virtio_net.c
+++ b/drivers/net/virtio_net.c
@@ -3072,6 +3072,7 @@ static int virtnet_probe(struct virtio_device *vdev)
 			dev_err(&vdev->dev,
 				"device MTU appears to have changed it is now %d < %d",
 				mtu, dev->min_mtu);
+			err = -EINVAL;
 			goto free;
 		}