diff --git a/drivers/staging/batman-adv/device.c b/drivers/staging/batman-adv/device.c
index 7eb6559e0315..32204b5572d0 100644
--- a/drivers/staging/batman-adv/device.c
+++ b/drivers/staging/batman-adv/device.c
@@ -196,7 +196,7 @@ ssize_t bat_device_read(struct file *file, char __user *buf, size_t count,
 	kfree(device_packet);
 
 	if (error)
-		return error;
+		return -EFAULT;
 
 	return sizeof(struct icmp_packet);
 }