diff --git a/drivers/mtd/devices/phram.c b/drivers/mtd/devices/phram.c
index aa88558c7edb100b60b5f23f99f1edec0fd0eb8d..d7d17a4b61f522020af5329f92364e94e2846299 100644
--- a/drivers/mtd/devices/phram.c
+++ b/drivers/mtd/devices/phram.c
@@ -270,6 +270,7 @@ static int phram_setup(const char *val)
 	if (len == 0 || erasesize == 0 || erasesize > len
 	    || erasesize > UINT_MAX || rem) {
 		parse_err("illegal erasesize or len\n");
+		ret = -EINVAL;
 		goto error;
 	}