diff --git a/arch/ia64/kernel/efi.c b/arch/ia64/kernel/efi.c
index 121295637d0d..81416000c5e0 100644
--- a/arch/ia64/kernel/efi.c
+++ b/arch/ia64/kernel/efi.c
@@ -757,14 +757,14 @@ efi_memmap_intersects (unsigned long phys_addr, unsigned long size)
 	return 0;
 }
 
-u32
+int
 efi_mem_type (unsigned long phys_addr)
 {
 	efi_memory_desc_t *md = efi_memory_descriptor(phys_addr);
 
 	if (md)
 		return md->type;
-	return 0;
+	return -EINVAL;
 }
 
 u64
diff --git a/arch/x86/platform/efi/efi.c b/arch/x86/platform/efi/efi.c
index f084d8718ac4..6217b23e85f6 100644
--- a/arch/x86/platform/efi/efi.c
+++ b/arch/x86/platform/efi/efi.c
@@ -1035,12 +1035,12 @@ void __init efi_enter_virtual_mode(void)
 /*
  * Convenience functions to obtain memory types and attributes
  */
-u32 efi_mem_type(unsigned long phys_addr)
+int efi_mem_type(unsigned long phys_addr)
 {
 	efi_memory_desc_t *md;
 
 	if (!efi_enabled(EFI_MEMMAP))
-		return 0;
+		return -ENOTSUPP;
 
 	for_each_efi_memory_desc(md) {
 		if ((md->phys_addr <= phys_addr) &&
@@ -1048,7 +1048,7 @@ u32 efi_mem_type(unsigned long phys_addr)
 				  (md->num_pages << EFI_PAGE_SHIFT))))
 			return md->type;
 	}
-	return 0;
+	return -EINVAL;
 }
 
 static int __init arch_parse_efi_cmdline(char *str)
diff --git a/include/linux/efi.h b/include/linux/efi.h
index 8e24f099bd3f..4e47f78430be 100644
--- a/include/linux/efi.h
+++ b/include/linux/efi.h
@@ -985,7 +985,7 @@ static inline void efi_esrt_init(void) { }
 extern int efi_config_parse_tables(void *config_tables, int count, int sz,
 				   efi_config_table_type_t *arch_tables);
 extern u64 efi_get_iobase (void);
-extern u32 efi_mem_type (unsigned long phys_addr);
+extern int efi_mem_type(unsigned long phys_addr);
 extern u64 efi_mem_attributes (unsigned long phys_addr);
 extern u64 efi_mem_attribute (unsigned long phys_addr, unsigned long size);
 extern int __init efi_uart_console_only (void);