diff --git a/drivers/crypto/cavium/nitrox/nitrox_main.c b/drivers/crypto/cavium/nitrox/nitrox_main.c
index c4632d84c9a1..637be2f903d3 100644
--- a/drivers/crypto/cavium/nitrox/nitrox_main.c
+++ b/drivers/crypto/cavium/nitrox/nitrox_main.c
@@ -278,7 +278,7 @@ static void nitrox_remove_from_devlist(struct nitrox_device *ndev)
 
 struct nitrox_device *nitrox_get_first_device(void)
 {
-	struct nitrox_device *ndev = NULL;
+	struct nitrox_device *ndev;
 
 	mutex_lock(&devlist_lock);
 	list_for_each_entry(ndev, &ndevlist, list) {
@@ -286,7 +286,7 @@ struct nitrox_device *nitrox_get_first_device(void)
 			break;
 	}
 	mutex_unlock(&devlist_lock);
-	if (!ndev)
+	if (&ndev->list == &ndevlist)
 		return NULL;
 
 	refcount_inc(&ndev->refcnt);