diff --git a/fs/nfs/client.c b/fs/nfs/client.c
index a05f77f9c21e..af838d1ed281 100644
--- a/fs/nfs/client.c
+++ b/fs/nfs/client.c
@@ -399,7 +399,7 @@ struct nfs_client *nfs_get_client(const struct nfs_client_initdata *cl_init)
 
 	if (cl_init->hostname == NULL) {
 		WARN_ON(1);
-		return NULL;
+		return ERR_PTR(-EINVAL);
 	}
 
 	/* see if the client already exists */