diff --git a/drivers/dma-buf/sync_file.c b/drivers/dma-buf/sync_file.c
index 25c5c071645b..91185db9a952 100644
--- a/drivers/dma-buf/sync_file.c
+++ b/drivers/dma-buf/sync_file.c
@@ -221,7 +221,7 @@ static struct sync_file *sync_file_merge(const char *name, struct sync_file *a,
 	a_fences = get_fences(a, &a_num_fences);
 	b_fences = get_fences(b, &b_num_fences);
 	if (a_num_fences > INT_MAX - b_num_fences)
-		return NULL;
+		goto err;
 
 	num_fences = a_num_fences + b_num_fences;