diff --git a/arch/um/drivers/net_kern.c b/arch/um/drivers/net_kern.c
index 7d26d9c0b2fb..f70dd540655d 100644
--- a/arch/um/drivers/net_kern.c
+++ b/arch/um/drivers/net_kern.c
@@ -659,10 +659,6 @@ static int __init eth_setup(char *str)
 	}
 
 	new = alloc_bootmem(sizeof(*new));
-	if (new == NULL) {
-		printk(KERN_ERR "eth_init : alloc_bootmem failed\n");
-		return 1;
-	}
 
 	INIT_LIST_HEAD(&new->list);
 	new->index = n;