diff --git a/drivers/net/caif/caif_serial.c b/drivers/net/caif/caif_serial.c
index 8a3054b848125f76153d9bb53ccbaf19c1c36b3c..5de74e76202134402420311d1fe824c7ce57055a 100644
--- a/drivers/net/caif/caif_serial.c
+++ b/drivers/net/caif/caif_serial.c
@@ -325,6 +325,9 @@ static int ldisc_open(struct tty_struct *tty)
 
 	sprintf(name, "cf%s", tty->name);
 	dev = alloc_netdev(sizeof(*ser), name, caifdev_setup);
+	if (!dev)
+		return -ENOMEM;
+
 	ser = netdev_priv(dev);
 	ser->tty = tty_kref_get(tty);
 	ser->dev = dev;