diff --git a/drivers/net/ethernet/microchip/lan966x/lan966x_ptp.c b/drivers/net/ethernet/microchip/lan966x/lan966x_ptp.c
index 60bd0cff6677..63905bb5a63a 100644
--- a/drivers/net/ethernet/microchip/lan966x/lan966x_ptp.c
+++ b/drivers/net/ethernet/microchip/lan966x/lan966x_ptp.c
@@ -59,7 +59,7 @@ static int lan966x_ptp_add_trap(struct lan966x_port *port,
 	int err;
 
 	vrule = vcap_get_rule(lan966x->vcap_ctrl, rule_id);
-	if (vrule) {
+	if (!IS_ERR(vrule)) {
 		u32 value, mask;
 
 		/* Just modify the ingress port mask and exit */
@@ -106,7 +106,7 @@ static int lan966x_ptp_del_trap(struct lan966x_port *port,
 	int err;
 
 	vrule = vcap_get_rule(lan966x->vcap_ctrl, rule_id);
-	if (!vrule)
+	if (IS_ERR(vrule))
 		return -EEXIST;
 
 	vcap_rule_get_key_u32(vrule, VCAP_KF_IF_IGR_PORT_MASK, &value, &mask);
diff --git a/drivers/net/ethernet/microchip/sparx5/sparx5_tc_flower.c b/drivers/net/ethernet/microchip/sparx5/sparx5_tc_flower.c
index 906299ad8425..523e0c470894 100644
--- a/drivers/net/ethernet/microchip/sparx5/sparx5_tc_flower.c
+++ b/drivers/net/ethernet/microchip/sparx5/sparx5_tc_flower.c
@@ -1274,7 +1274,7 @@ static int sparx5_tc_free_rule_resources(struct net_device *ndev,
 	int ret = 0;
 
 	vrule = vcap_get_rule(vctrl, rule_id);
-	if (!vrule || IS_ERR(vrule))
+	if (IS_ERR(vrule))
 		return -EINVAL;
 
 	sparx5_tc_free_psfp_resources(sparx5, vrule);
diff --git a/drivers/net/ethernet/microchip/vcap/vcap_api.c b/drivers/net/ethernet/microchip/vcap/vcap_api.c
index a7b43f99bc80..300fe1a93dce 100644
--- a/drivers/net/ethernet/microchip/vcap/vcap_api.c
+++ b/drivers/net/ethernet/microchip/vcap/vcap_api.c
@@ -2429,7 +2429,7 @@ struct vcap_rule *vcap_get_rule(struct vcap_control *vctrl, u32 id)
 
 	elem = vcap_get_locked_rule(vctrl, id);
 	if (!elem)
-		return NULL;
+		return ERR_PTR(-ENOENT);
 
 	rule = vcap_decode_rule(elem);
 	mutex_unlock(&elem->admin->lock);