diff --git a/drivers/staging/lustre/lnet/lnet/api-ni.c b/drivers/staging/lustre/lnet/lnet/api-ni.c
index e88bee3624973277cc531f140e3665a99bc308ff..250c618687041890685fee63a2fdde8ed3399a6d 100644
--- a/drivers/staging/lustre/lnet/lnet/api-ni.c
+++ b/drivers/staging/lustre/lnet/lnet/api-ni.c
@@ -1541,7 +1541,10 @@ LNetGetId(unsigned int index, lnet_process_id_t *id)
 	int		rc = -ENOENT;
 
 	LASSERT(the_lnet.ln_init);
-	LASSERT(the_lnet.ln_refcount > 0);
+
+	/* LNetNI initilization failed? */
+	if (the_lnet.ln_refcount == 0)
+		return rc;
 
 	cpt = lnet_net_lock_current();