diff --git a/drivers/block/nbd.c b/drivers/block/nbd.c
index 5f2a4240a204d54fc6fe87e569dc6165d5190530..86258b00a1d4d1960a67fb021babc668884a72a7 100644
--- a/drivers/block/nbd.c
+++ b/drivers/block/nbd.c
@@ -1591,7 +1591,7 @@ static int nbd_genl_connect(struct sk_buff *skb, struct genl_info *info)
 			if (new_index < 0) {
 				mutex_unlock(&nbd_index_mutex);
 				printk(KERN_ERR "nbd: failed to add new device\n");
-				return ret;
+				return new_index;
 			}
 			nbd = idr_find(&nbd_index_idr, new_index);
 		}