diff --git a/drivers/net/usb/ax88172a.c b/drivers/net/usb/ax88172a.c
index 4e514f5d7c6c7c2a2af2cbb3e214c902bc8c7302..fd3a04d98dc14b4a2786a23bd40f2f4b3845dcbe 100644
--- a/drivers/net/usb/ax88172a.c
+++ b/drivers/net/usb/ax88172a.c
@@ -187,6 +187,7 @@ static int ax88172a_bind(struct usbnet *dev, struct usb_interface *intf)
 	ret = asix_read_cmd(dev, AX_CMD_READ_NODE_ID, 0, 0, ETH_ALEN, buf, 0);
 	if (ret < ETH_ALEN) {
 		netdev_err(dev->net, "Failed to read MAC address: %d\n", ret);
+		ret = -EIO;
 		goto free;
 	}
 	memcpy(dev->net->dev_addr, buf, ETH_ALEN);