diff --git a/include/linux/regulator/consumer.h b/include/linux/regulator/consumer.h
index d347c805f923f8539b6430fa30119527edb7f244..c0c0a437ec756254e657d7cd18e239927d3f86ba 100644
--- a/include/linux/regulator/consumer.h
+++ b/include/linux/regulator/consumer.h
@@ -282,7 +282,7 @@ devm_regulator_get(struct device *dev, const char *id)
 static inline struct regulator *__must_check
 regulator_get_exclusive(struct device *dev, const char *id)
 {
-	return NULL;
+	return ERR_PTR(-ENODEV);
 }
 
 static inline struct regulator *__must_check