diff --git a/arch/x86/kernel/cpu/microcode/core.c b/arch/x86/kernel/cpu/microcode/core.c
index 61d57d9b93ee..fdd1e7eb90f9 100644
--- a/arch/x86/kernel/cpu/microcode/core.c
+++ b/arch/x86/kernel/cpu/microcode/core.c
@@ -475,11 +475,8 @@ static ssize_t reload_store(struct device *dev,
 	ssize_t ret = 0;
 
 	ret = kstrtoul(buf, 0, &val);
-	if (ret)
-		return ret;
-
-	if (val != 1)
-		return size;
+	if (ret || val != 1)
+		return -EINVAL;
 
 	cpus_read_lock();