diff --git a/drivers/net/ethernet/mellanox/mlx5/core/en/tc_ct.c b/drivers/net/ethernet/mellanox/mlx5/core/en/tc_ct.c
index 77b3f372e831..44f806e79e8d 100644
--- a/drivers/net/ethernet/mellanox/mlx5/core/en/tc_ct.c
+++ b/drivers/net/ethernet/mellanox/mlx5/core/en/tc_ct.c
@@ -1131,7 +1131,7 @@ mlx5_tc_ct_flow_offload(struct mlx5e_priv *priv,
 {
 	bool clear_action = attr->ct_attr.ct_action & TCA_CT_ACT_CLEAR;
 	struct mlx5_tc_ct_priv *ct_priv = mlx5_tc_ct_get_ct_priv(priv);
-	struct mlx5_flow_handle *rule;
+	struct mlx5_flow_handle *rule = ERR_PTR(-EINVAL);
 	int err;
 
 	if (!ct_priv)