diff --git a/drivers/mailbox/imx-mailbox.c b/drivers/mailbox/imx-mailbox.c
index 97bf0acf51d8..cacc60662f24 100644
--- a/drivers/mailbox/imx-mailbox.c
+++ b/drivers/mailbox/imx-mailbox.c
@@ -378,7 +378,7 @@ static struct mbox_chan *imx_mu_scu_xlate(struct mbox_controller *mbox,
 		break;
 	default:
 		dev_err(mbox->dev, "Invalid chan type: %d\n", type);
-		return NULL;
+		return ERR_PTR(-EINVAL);
 	}
 
 	if (chan >= mbox->num_chans) {