diff --git a/drivers/vdpa/vdpa_sim/vdpa_sim.c b/drivers/vdpa/vdpa_sim/vdpa_sim.c
index 14e024de5cbf2..c621cf7feec02 100644
--- a/drivers/vdpa/vdpa_sim/vdpa_sim.c
+++ b/drivers/vdpa/vdpa_sim/vdpa_sim.c
@@ -251,8 +251,10 @@ struct vdpasim *vdpasim_create(struct vdpasim_dev_attr *dev_attr)
 
 	vdpasim = vdpa_alloc_device(struct vdpasim, vdpa, NULL, ops,
 				    dev_attr->name);
-	if (!vdpasim)
+	if (IS_ERR(vdpasim)) {
+		ret = PTR_ERR(vdpasim);
 		goto err_alloc;
+	}
 
 	vdpasim->dev_attr = *dev_attr;
 	INIT_WORK(&vdpasim->work, dev_attr->work_fn);