diff --git a/net/vhost-vdpa.c b/net/vhost-vdpa.c
index fd4ff5a0fb..151f60184d 100644
--- a/net/vhost-vdpa.c
+++ b/net/vhost-vdpa.c
@@ -169,8 +169,10 @@ static NetClientInfo net_vhost_vdpa_info = {
         .check_peer_type = vhost_vdpa_check_peer_type,
 };
 
-static int net_vhost_vdpa_init(NetClientState *peer, const char *device,
-                               const char *name, int vdpa_device_fd)
+static NetClientState *net_vhost_vdpa_init(NetClientState *peer,
+                                           const char *device,
+                                           const char *name,
+                                           int vdpa_device_fd)
 {
     NetClientState *nc = NULL;
     VhostVDPAState *s;
@@ -184,15 +186,17 @@ static int net_vhost_vdpa_init(NetClientState *peer, const char *device,
     ret = vhost_vdpa_add(nc, (void *)&s->vhost_vdpa);
     if (ret) {
         qemu_del_net_client(nc);
+        return NULL;
     }
-    return ret;
+    return nc;
 }
 
 int net_init_vhost_vdpa(const Netdev *netdev, const char *name,
                         NetClientState *peer, Error **errp)
 {
     const NetdevVhostVDPAOptions *opts;
-    int vdpa_device_fd, ret;
+    int vdpa_device_fd;
+    NetClientState *nc;
 
     assert(netdev->type == NET_CLIENT_DRIVER_VHOST_VDPA);
     opts = &netdev->u.vhost_vdpa;
@@ -202,10 +206,11 @@ int net_init_vhost_vdpa(const Netdev *netdev, const char *name,
         return -errno;
     }
 
-    ret = net_vhost_vdpa_init(peer, TYPE_VHOST_VDPA, name, vdpa_device_fd);
-    if (ret) {
+    nc = net_vhost_vdpa_init(peer, TYPE_VHOST_VDPA, name, vdpa_device_fd);
+    if (!nc) {
         qemu_close(vdpa_device_fd);
+        return -1;
     }
 
-    return ret;
+    return 0;
 }