diff --git a/drivers/iio/industrialio-buffer.c b/drivers/iio/industrialio-buffer.c
index 6d4776a7f002..a95cc2da56be 100644
--- a/drivers/iio/industrialio-buffer.c
+++ b/drivers/iio/industrialio-buffer.c
@@ -354,13 +354,14 @@ static int iio_scan_mask_set(struct iio_dev *indio_dev,
 	const unsigned long *mask;
 	unsigned long *trialmask;
 
+	if (!indio_dev->masklength) {
+		WARN(1, "Trying to set scanmask prior to registering buffer\n");
+		return -EINVAL;
+	}
+
 	trialmask = bitmap_alloc(indio_dev->masklength, GFP_KERNEL);
 	if (!trialmask)
 		return -ENOMEM;
-	if (!indio_dev->masklength) {
-		WARN(1, "Trying to set scanmask prior to registering buffer\n");
-		goto err_invalid_mask;
-	}
 	bitmap_copy(trialmask, buffer->scan_mask, indio_dev->masklength);
 	set_bit(bit, trialmask);