diff --git a/fs/dlm/lowcomms.c b/fs/dlm/lowcomms.c
index 0e75f152eac2fbae5fe6e8bcb44da1d1d8afdefa..9c64ae9e4c1a9f6545552504e0b1184fc646a1ea 100644
--- a/fs/dlm/lowcomms.c
+++ b/fs/dlm/lowcomms.c
@@ -1468,22 +1468,19 @@ static void work_stop(void)
 
 static int work_start(void)
 {
-	int error;
 	recv_workqueue = alloc_workqueue("dlm_recv", WQ_MEM_RECLAIM |
 					 WQ_HIGHPRI | WQ_FREEZEABLE, 0);
-	error = IS_ERR(recv_workqueue);
-	if (error) {
-		log_print("can't start dlm_recv %d", error);
-		return error;
+	if (!recv_workqueue) {
+		log_print("can't start dlm_recv");
+		return -ENOMEM;
 	}
 
 	send_workqueue = alloc_workqueue("dlm_send", WQ_MEM_RECLAIM |
 					 WQ_HIGHPRI | WQ_FREEZEABLE, 0);
-	error = IS_ERR(send_workqueue);
-	if (error) {
-		log_print("can't start dlm_send %d", error);
+	if (!send_workqueue) {
+		log_print("can't start dlm_send");
 		destroy_workqueue(recv_workqueue);
-		return error;
+		return -ENOMEM;
 	}
 
 	return 0;