diff --git a/drivers/net/ethernet/qlogic/netxen/netxen_nic.h b/drivers/net/ethernet/qlogic/netxen/netxen_nic.h
index 322a36b76727d3522bb8bb1a35440d18ee21b696..e5ab1ecb4bb20f3ac8555fa5b257ac843c0d5b6b 100644
--- a/drivers/net/ethernet/qlogic/netxen/netxen_nic.h
+++ b/drivers/net/ethernet/qlogic/netxen/netxen_nic.h
@@ -1855,7 +1855,7 @@ static const struct netxen_brdinfo netxen_boards[] = {
 
 #define NUM_SUPPORTED_BOARDS ARRAY_SIZE(netxen_boards)
 
-static inline void get_brd_name_by_type(u32 type, char *name)
+static inline int netxen_nic_get_brd_name_by_type(u32 type, char *name)
 {
 	int i, found = 0;
 	for (i = 0; i < NUM_SUPPORTED_BOARDS; ++i) {
@@ -1864,10 +1864,14 @@ static inline void get_brd_name_by_type(u32 type, char *name)
 			found = 1;
 			break;
 		}
+	}
 
+	if (!found) {
+		strcpy(name, "Unknown");
+		return -EINVAL;
 	}
-	if (!found)
-		name = "Unknown";
+
+	return 0;
 }
 
 static inline u32 netxen_tx_avail(struct nx_host_tx_ring *tx_ring)
diff --git a/drivers/net/ethernet/qlogic/netxen/netxen_nic_main.c b/drivers/net/ethernet/qlogic/netxen/netxen_nic_main.c
index 2294cd2293b11f41595eaabab532e694800e05f0..558df468f2e45c23246db40244b2b410cb6a58f0 100644
--- a/drivers/net/ethernet/qlogic/netxen/netxen_nic_main.c
+++ b/drivers/net/ethernet/qlogic/netxen/netxen_nic_main.c
@@ -841,7 +841,9 @@ netxen_check_options(struct netxen_adapter *adapter)
 	}
 
 	if (adapter->portnum == 0) {
-		get_brd_name_by_type(adapter->ahw.board_type, brd_name);
+		if (netxen_nic_get_brd_name_by_type(adapter->ahw.board_type,
+						    brd_name))
+			strcpy(serial_num, "Unknown");
 
 		pr_info("%s: %s Board S/N %s  Chip rev 0x%x\n",
 				module_name(THIS_MODULE),