diff --git a/net/smc/smc_core.c b/net/smc/smc_core.c
index 3b5e5d4bc763..94f21116dac5 100644
--- a/net/smc/smc_core.c
+++ b/net/smc/smc_core.c
@@ -562,7 +562,7 @@ static int __smc_buf_create(struct smc_sock *smc, bool is_rmb)
 {
 	struct smc_connection *conn = &smc->conn;
 	struct smc_link_group *lgr = conn->lgr;
-	struct smc_buf_desc *buf_desc = NULL;
+	struct smc_buf_desc *buf_desc = ERR_PTR(-ENOMEM);
 	struct list_head *buf_list;
 	int bufsize, bufsize_short;
 	int sk_buf_size;