diff --git a/drivers/net/ethernet/intel/fm10k/fm10k_main.c b/drivers/net/ethernet/intel/fm10k/fm10k_main.c
index 3f536541f45f170ab9a2c0513bc6f311501990a6..78a43d688cb138e22d5a13b762496781efbf2bf2 100644
--- a/drivers/net/ethernet/intel/fm10k/fm10k_main.c
+++ b/drivers/net/ethernet/intel/fm10k/fm10k_main.c
@@ -41,6 +41,8 @@ static int __init fm10k_init_module(void)
 	/* create driver workqueue */
 	fm10k_workqueue = alloc_workqueue("%s", WQ_MEM_RECLAIM, 0,
 					  fm10k_driver_name);
+	if (!fm10k_workqueue)
+		return -ENOMEM;
 
 	fm10k_dbg_init();