diff --git a/drivers/net/usb/ax88179_178a.c b/drivers/net/usb/ax88179_178a.c
index be4275721039..e6338c16081a 100644
--- a/drivers/net/usb/ax88179_178a.c
+++ b/drivers/net/usb/ax88179_178a.c
@@ -937,6 +937,7 @@ static int ax88179_set_mac_addr(struct net_device *net, void *p)
 {
 	struct usbnet *dev = netdev_priv(net);
 	struct sockaddr *addr = p;
+	int ret;
 
 	if (netif_running(net))
 		return -EBUSY;
@@ -946,8 +947,12 @@ static int ax88179_set_mac_addr(struct net_device *net, void *p)
 	memcpy(net->dev_addr, addr->sa_data, ETH_ALEN);
 
 	/* Set the MAC address */
-	return ax88179_write_cmd(dev, AX_ACCESS_MAC, AX_NODE_ID, ETH_ALEN,
+	ret = ax88179_write_cmd(dev, AX_ACCESS_MAC, AX_NODE_ID, ETH_ALEN,
 				 ETH_ALEN, net->dev_addr);
+	if (ret < 0)
+		return ret;
+
+	return 0;
 }
 
 static const struct net_device_ops ax88179_netdev_ops = {