diff --git a/kernel/posix-timers.c b/kernel/posix-timers.c
index e36d5798cbff..5131e5471169 100644
--- a/kernel/posix-timers.c
+++ b/kernel/posix-timers.c
@@ -441,7 +441,7 @@ static struct k_itimer * alloc_posix_timer(void)
 		return tmr;
 	if (unlikely(!(tmr->sigq = sigqueue_alloc()))) {
 		kmem_cache_free(posix_timers_cache, tmr);
-		tmr = NULL;
+		return NULL;
 	}
 	memset(&tmr->sigq->info, 0, sizeof(siginfo_t));
 	return tmr;