diff --git a/fs/xattr.c b/fs/xattr.c
index b11945e15fde..4231488f2122 100644
--- a/fs/xattr.c
+++ b/fs/xattr.c
@@ -668,7 +668,7 @@ xattr_resolve_name(const struct xattr_handler **handlers, const char **name)
 	const struct xattr_handler *handler;
 
 	if (!*name)
-		return NULL;
+		return ERR_PTR(-EINVAL);
 
 	for_each_xattr_handler(handlers, handler) {
 		const char *n;