diff --git a/drivers/bluetooth/btrtl.c b/drivers/bluetooth/btrtl.c
index 0dfaf90a31b0..bdee7d2d8830 100644
--- a/drivers/bluetooth/btrtl.c
+++ b/drivers/bluetooth/btrtl.c
@@ -605,6 +605,8 @@ struct btrtl_device_info *btrtl_initialize(struct hci_dev *hdev,
 			rtl_dev_err(hdev, "mandatory config file %s not found",
 				    btrtl_dev->ic_info->cfg_name);
 			ret = btrtl_dev->cfg_len;
+			if (!ret)
+				ret = -EINVAL;
 			goto err_free;
 		}
 	}