diff --git a/drivers/tty/vt/vt.c b/drivers/tty/vt/vt.c
index 8f9f8ed3ed090528c1978ded3c627f734327a60b..3ed1ae211acc1186a0fe7d36fe7f0d521ffcb206 100644
--- a/drivers/tty/vt/vt.c
+++ b/drivers/tty/vt/vt.c
@@ -3594,9 +3594,10 @@ static int do_register_con_driver(const struct consw *csw, int first, int last)
 		goto err;
 
 	desc = csw->con_startup();
-
-	if (!desc)
+	if (!desc) {
+		retval = -ENODEV;
 		goto err;
+	}
 
 	retval = -EINVAL;