diff --git a/sound/soc/soc-pcm.c b/sound/soc/soc-pcm.c
index 481a4a25acb0..29328ce39904 100644
--- a/sound/soc/soc-pcm.c
+++ b/sound/soc/soc-pcm.c
@@ -2432,7 +2432,7 @@ static int dpcm_run_update_startup(struct snd_soc_pcm_runtime *fe, int stream)
 		snd_soc_dpcm_get_substream(fe, stream);
 	struct snd_soc_dpcm *dpcm;
 	enum snd_soc_dpcm_trigger trigger = fe->dai_link->trigger[stream];
-	int ret;
+	int ret = 0;
 	unsigned long flags;
 
 	dev_dbg(fe->dev, "ASoC: runtime %s open on FE %s\n",
@@ -2441,6 +2441,7 @@ static int dpcm_run_update_startup(struct snd_soc_pcm_runtime *fe, int stream)
 	/* Only start the BE if the FE is ready */
 	if (fe->dpcm[stream].state == SND_SOC_DPCM_STATE_HW_FREE ||
 		fe->dpcm[stream].state == SND_SOC_DPCM_STATE_CLOSE) {
+		ret = -EINVAL;
 		dev_err(fe->dev, "ASoC: FE %s is not ready %d\n",
 			fe->dai_link->name, fe->dpcm[stream].state);
 		goto disconnect;