diff --git a/drivers/net/mlx4/sense.c b/drivers/net/mlx4/sense.c
index f36ae691cab3..015fbe785c13 100644
--- a/drivers/net/mlx4/sense.c
+++ b/drivers/net/mlx4/sense.c
@@ -53,7 +53,7 @@ static int mlx4_SENSE_PORT(struct mlx4_dev *dev, int port,
 
 	if (out_param > 2) {
 		mlx4_err(dev, "Sense returned illegal value: 0x%llx\n", out_param);
-		return EINVAL;
+		return -EINVAL;
 	}
 
 	*type = out_param;