diff --git a/drivers/bluetooth/btrtl.c b/drivers/bluetooth/btrtl.c
index cc51395d8b0e..b6fbc33d149b 100644
--- a/drivers/bluetooth/btrtl.c
+++ b/drivers/bluetooth/btrtl.c
@@ -581,6 +581,8 @@ struct btrtl_device_info *btrtl_initialize(struct hci_dev *hdev,
 			rtl_dev_err(hdev, "mandatory config file %s not found\n",
 				    btrtl_dev->ic_info->cfg_name);
 			ret = btrtl_dev->cfg_len;
+			if (!ret)
+				ret = -EINVAL;
 			goto err_free;
 		}
 	}