diff --git a/drivers/net/net_failover.c b/drivers/net/net_failover.c
index 8524fe4fddea..e964d312f4ca 100644
--- a/drivers/net/net_failover.c
+++ b/drivers/net/net_failover.c
@@ -764,8 +764,10 @@ struct failover *net_failover_create(struct net_device *standby_dev)
 	netif_carrier_off(failover_dev);
 
 	failover = failover_register(failover_dev, &net_failover_ops);
-	if (IS_ERR(failover))
+	if (IS_ERR(failover)) {
+		err = PTR_ERR(failover);
 		goto err_failover_register;
+	}
 
 	return failover;