diff --git a/drivers/mtd/nand/nand_bbt.c b/drivers/mtd/nand/nand_bbt.c
index 6cbf8768a0a4..7f0c3b4c2a4f 100644
--- a/drivers/mtd/nand/nand_bbt.c
+++ b/drivers/mtd/nand/nand_bbt.c
@@ -1282,6 +1282,7 @@ static int nand_create_badblock_pattern(struct nand_chip *this)
 int nand_default_bbt(struct mtd_info *mtd)
 {
 	struct nand_chip *this = mtd->priv;
+	int ret;
 
 	/* Is a flash based bad block table requested? */
 	if (this->bbt_options & NAND_BBT_USE_FLASH) {
@@ -1300,8 +1301,11 @@ int nand_default_bbt(struct mtd_info *mtd)
 		this->bbt_md = NULL;
 	}
 
-	if (!this->badblock_pattern)
-		nand_create_badblock_pattern(this);
+	if (!this->badblock_pattern) {
+		ret = nand_create_badblock_pattern(this);
+		if (ret)
+			return ret;
+	}
 
 	return nand_scan_bbt(mtd, this->badblock_pattern);
 }