diff --git a/net/sunrpc/backchannel_rqst.c b/net/sunrpc/backchannel_rqst.c
index 5a3d675d2f2f..a9c0bbccad6b 100644
--- a/net/sunrpc/backchannel_rqst.c
+++ b/net/sunrpc/backchannel_rqst.c
@@ -172,7 +172,7 @@ int xprt_setup_backchannel(struct rpc_xprt *xprt, unsigned int min_reqs)
 		xprt_free_allocation(req);
 
 	dprintk("RPC:       setup backchannel transport failed\n");
-	return -1;
+	return -ENOMEM;
 }
 EXPORT_SYMBOL_GPL(xprt_setup_backchannel);