diff --git a/fs/btrfs/relocation.c b/fs/btrfs/relocation.c
index f948f4f6431c..e17bcb034595 100644
--- a/fs/btrfs/relocation.c
+++ b/fs/btrfs/relocation.c
@@ -3803,7 +3803,7 @@ static noinline_for_stack struct inode *create_reloc_inode(
 	if (ret) {
 		if (inode)
 			iput(&inode->vfs_inode);
-		inode = ERR_PTR(ret);
+		return ERR_PTR(ret);
 	}
 	return &inode->vfs_inode;
 }