diff --git a/drivers/bluetooth/btrtl.c b/drivers/bluetooth/btrtl.c
index 3a9afc905f24336b23715b2de9df30cf13d0d943..77de43d8d7962b501b7f1689fe4a6ee40538b861 100644
--- a/drivers/bluetooth/btrtl.c
+++ b/drivers/bluetooth/btrtl.c
@@ -625,6 +625,8 @@ struct btrtl_device_info *btrtl_initialize(struct hci_dev *hdev,
 			rtl_dev_err(hdev, "mandatory config file %s not found",
 				    btrtl_dev->ic_info->cfg_name);
 			ret = btrtl_dev->cfg_len;
+			if (!ret)
+				ret = -EINVAL;
 			goto err_free;
 		}
 	}