diff --git a/kernel/time/tick-sched.c b/kernel/time/tick-sched.c
index f4208138fbf4..0cf1c1453181 100644
--- a/kernel/time/tick-sched.c
+++ b/kernel/time/tick-sched.c
@@ -306,7 +306,7 @@ static int __cpuinit tick_nohz_cpu_down_callback(struct notifier_block *nfb,
 		 * we can't safely shutdown that CPU.
 		 */
 		if (have_nohz_full_mask && tick_do_timer_cpu == cpu)
-			return -EINVAL;
+			return NOTIFY_BAD;
 		break;
 	}
 	return NOTIFY_OK;