diff --git a/drivers/devfreq/devfreq.c b/drivers/devfreq/devfreq.c
index bcd22791067608e1f13687760c369fc845f1d3b5..e2ab46bfa666e4e5f39a7114ba3ae40e352d8ae6 100644
--- a/drivers/devfreq/devfreq.c
+++ b/drivers/devfreq/devfreq.c
@@ -231,7 +231,7 @@ static struct devfreq_governor *find_devfreq_governor(const char *name)
  * if is not found. This can happen when both drivers (the governor driver
  * and the driver that call devfreq_add_device) are built as modules.
  * devfreq_list_lock should be held by the caller. Returns the matched
- * governor's pointer.
+ * governor's pointer or an error pointer.
  */
 static struct devfreq_governor *try_then_request_governor(const char *name)
 {
@@ -257,7 +257,7 @@ static struct devfreq_governor *try_then_request_governor(const char *name)
 		/* Restore previous state before return */
 		mutex_lock(&devfreq_list_lock);
 		if (err)
-			return NULL;
+			return ERR_PTR(err);
 
 		governor = find_devfreq_governor(name);
 	}