diff --git a/include/linux/of_dma.h b/include/linux/of_dma.h
index 36112cdd665a..b90d8ec57c1f 100644
--- a/include/linux/of_dma.h
+++ b/include/linux/of_dma.h
@@ -80,7 +80,7 @@ static inline int of_dma_router_register(struct device_node *np,
 static inline struct dma_chan *of_dma_request_slave_channel(struct device_node *np,
 						     const char *name)
 {
-	return NULL;
+	return ERR_PTR(-ENODEV);
 }
 
 static inline struct dma_chan *of_dma_simple_xlate(struct of_phandle_args *dma_spec,