diff --git a/fs/ubifs/super.c b/fs/ubifs/super.c
index 667c72d8a5cc..d87b0cf5f661 100644
--- a/fs/ubifs/super.c
+++ b/fs/ubifs/super.c
@@ -1032,8 +1032,6 @@ static int mount_ubifs(struct ubifs_info *c)
 
 		/* Create background thread */
 		c->bgt = kthread_create(ubifs_bg_thread, c, c->bgt_name);
-		if (!c->bgt)
-			c->bgt = ERR_PTR(-EINVAL);
 		if (IS_ERR(c->bgt)) {
 			err = PTR_ERR(c->bgt);
 			c->bgt = NULL;
@@ -1347,8 +1345,6 @@ static int ubifs_remount_rw(struct ubifs_info *c)
 
 	/* Create background thread */
 	c->bgt = kthread_create(ubifs_bg_thread, c, c->bgt_name);
-	if (!c->bgt)
-		c->bgt = ERR_PTR(-EINVAL);
 	if (IS_ERR(c->bgt)) {
 		err = PTR_ERR(c->bgt);
 		c->bgt = NULL;