diff --git a/net/tipc/port.h b/net/tipc/port.h
index 3f93454592b6..a69118ff018b 100644
--- a/net/tipc/port.h
+++ b/net/tipc/port.h
@@ -179,8 +179,10 @@ static inline int tipc_port_importance(struct tipc_port *port)
 	return msg_importance(&port->phdr);
 }
 
-static inline void tipc_port_set_importance(struct tipc_port *port, int imp)
+static inline int tipc_port_set_importance(struct tipc_port *port, int imp)
 {
+	if (imp > TIPC_CRITICAL_IMPORTANCE)
+		return -EINVAL
 	msg_set_importance(&port->phdr, (u32)imp);
 }
 
diff --git a/net/tipc/socket.c b/net/tipc/socket.c
index 7d423ee10897..ff8c8118d56e 100644
--- a/net/tipc/socket.c
+++ b/net/tipc/socket.c
@@ -1973,7 +1973,7 @@ static int tipc_setsockopt(struct socket *sock, int lvl, int opt,
 
 	switch (opt) {
 	case TIPC_IMPORTANCE:
-		tipc_port_set_importance(port, value);
+		res = tipc_port_set_importance(port, value);
 		break;
 	case TIPC_SRC_DROPPABLE:
 		if (sock->type != SOCK_STREAM)