diff --git a/security/apparmor/policy_ns.c b/security/apparmor/policy_ns.c
index b0f9dc3..1a7cec5 100644
--- a/security/apparmor/policy_ns.c
+++ b/security/apparmor/policy_ns.c
@@ -255,7 +255,7 @@ static struct aa_ns *__aa_create_ns(struct aa_ns *parent, const char *name,
 
 	ns = alloc_ns(parent->base.hname, name);
 	if (!ns)
-		return NULL;
+		return ERR_PTR(-ENOMEM);
 	ns->level = parent->level + 1;
 	mutex_lock_nested(&ns->lock, ns->level);
 	error = __aafs_ns_mkdir(ns, ns_subns_dir(parent), name, dir);