diff --git a/drivers/net/ethernet/mellanox/mlx5/core/en_fs_ethtool.c b/drivers/net/ethernet/mellanox/mlx5/core/en_fs_ethtool.c
index 3eccdadc035781..773624bb2c5d54 100644
--- a/drivers/net/ethernet/mellanox/mlx5/core/en_fs_ethtool.c
+++ b/drivers/net/ethernet/mellanox/mlx5/core/en_fs_ethtool.c
@@ -734,7 +734,7 @@ mlx5e_ethtool_flow_replace(struct mlx5e_priv *priv,
 	if (num_tuples <= 0) {
 		netdev_warn(priv->netdev, "%s: flow is not valid %d\n",
 			    __func__, num_tuples);
-		return num_tuples;
+		return num_tuples < 0 ? num_tuples : -EINVAL;
 	}
 
 	eth_ft = get_flow_table(priv, fs, num_tuples);