diff --git a/arch/um/drivers/chan_user.c b/arch/um/drivers/chan_user.c
index 6040817c036f..25727ed648b7 100644
--- a/arch/um/drivers/chan_user.c
+++ b/arch/um/drivers/chan_user.c
@@ -220,7 +220,7 @@ static int winch_tramp(int fd, struct tty_port *port, int *fd_out,
 		       unsigned long *stack_out)
 {
 	struct winch_data data;
-	int fds[2], n, err;
+	int fds[2], n, err, pid;
 	char c;
 
 	err = os_pipe(fds, 1, 1);
@@ -238,8 +238,9 @@ static int winch_tramp(int fd, struct tty_port *port, int *fd_out,
 	 * problem with /dev/net/tun, which if held open by this
 	 * thread, prevents the TUN/TAP device from being reused.
 	 */
-	err = run_helper_thread(winch_thread, &data, CLONE_FILES, stack_out);
-	if (err < 0) {
+	pid = run_helper_thread(winch_thread, &data, CLONE_FILES, stack_out);
+	if (pid < 0) {
+		err = pid;
 		printk(UM_KERN_ERR "fork of winch_thread failed - errno = %d\n",
 		       -err);
 		goto out_close;
@@ -263,7 +264,7 @@ static int winch_tramp(int fd, struct tty_port *port, int *fd_out,
 		goto out_close;
 	}
 
-	return err;
+	return pid;
 
  out_close:
 	close(fds[1]);