diff --git a/net/core/dev.c b/net/core/dev.c
index 5407d5f7b2d0..b85e789044d5 100644
--- a/net/core/dev.c
+++ b/net/core/dev.c
@@ -7945,7 +7945,8 @@ int dev_change_net_namespace(struct net_device *dev, struct net *net, const char
 		/* We get here if we can't use the current device name */
 		if (!pat)
 			goto out;
-		if (dev_get_valid_name(net, dev, pat) < 0)
+		err = dev_get_valid_name(net, dev, pat);
+		if (err < 0)
 			goto out;
 	}
 
@@ -7957,7 +7958,6 @@ int dev_change_net_namespace(struct net_device *dev, struct net *net, const char
 	dev_close(dev);
 
 	/* And unlink it from device chain */
-	err = -ENODEV;
 	unlist_netdevice(dev);
 
 	synchronize_net();