diff --git a/drivers/mtd/sm_ftl.c b/drivers/mtd/sm_ftl.c
index f9d5615c5727..3441e73ae819 100644
--- a/drivers/mtd/sm_ftl.c
+++ b/drivers/mtd/sm_ftl.c
@@ -1274,10 +1274,10 @@ static struct mtd_blktrans_ops sm_ftl_ops = {
 static __init int sm_module_init(void)
 {
 	int error = 0;
-	cache_flush_workqueue = create_freezable_workqueue("smflush");
 
-	if (IS_ERR(cache_flush_workqueue))
-		return PTR_ERR(cache_flush_workqueue);
+	cache_flush_workqueue = create_freezable_workqueue("smflush");
+	if (!cache_flush_workqueue)
+		return -ENOMEM;
 
 	error = register_mtd_blktrans(&sm_ftl_ops);
 	if (error)