diff --git a/drivers/scsi/st.c b/drivers/scsi/st.c
index 3b1afe1d5b270..5d840bc696391 100644
--- a/drivers/scsi/st.c
+++ b/drivers/scsi/st.c
@@ -551,7 +551,7 @@ static int st_scsi_execute(struct st_request *SRpnt, const unsigned char *cmd,
 			data_direction == DMA_TO_DEVICE ?
 			REQ_OP_SCSI_OUT : REQ_OP_SCSI_IN, 0);
 	if (IS_ERR(req))
-		return DRIVER_ERROR << 24;
+		return PTR_ERR(req);
 	rq = scsi_req(req);
 	req->rq_flags |= RQF_QUIET;
 
@@ -562,7 +562,7 @@ static int st_scsi_execute(struct st_request *SRpnt, const unsigned char *cmd,
 				      GFP_KERNEL);
 		if (err) {
 			blk_put_request(req);
-			return DRIVER_ERROR << 24;
+			return err;
 		}
 	}