diff --git a/net/ieee802154/nl802154.c b/net/ieee802154/nl802154.c
index b2ba1d2556f1..e0df892b5c37 100644
--- a/net/ieee802154/nl802154.c
+++ b/net/ieee802154/nl802154.c
@@ -1457,7 +1457,7 @@ static int nl802154_send_key(struct sk_buff *msg, u32 cmd, u32 portid,
 
 	hdr = nl802154hdr_put(msg, portid, seq, flags, cmd);
 	if (!hdr)
-		return -1;
+		return -ENOBUFS;
 
 	if (nla_put_u32(msg, NL802154_ATTR_IFINDEX, dev->ifindex))
 		goto nla_put_failure;
@@ -1650,7 +1650,7 @@ static int nl802154_send_device(struct sk_buff *msg, u32 cmd, u32 portid,
 
 	hdr = nl802154hdr_put(msg, portid, seq, flags, cmd);
 	if (!hdr)
-		return -1;
+		return -ENOBUFS;
 
 	if (nla_put_u32(msg, NL802154_ATTR_IFINDEX, dev->ifindex))
 		goto nla_put_failure;
@@ -1828,7 +1828,7 @@ static int nl802154_send_devkey(struct sk_buff *msg, u32 cmd, u32 portid,
 
 	hdr = nl802154hdr_put(msg, portid, seq, flags, cmd);
 	if (!hdr)
-		return -1;
+		return -ENOBUFS;
 
 	if (nla_put_u32(msg, NL802154_ATTR_IFINDEX, dev->ifindex))
 		goto nla_put_failure;
@@ -2004,7 +2004,7 @@ static int nl802154_send_seclevel(struct sk_buff *msg, u32 cmd, u32 portid,
 
 	hdr = nl802154hdr_put(msg, portid, seq, flags, cmd);
 	if (!hdr)
-		return -1;
+		return -ENOBUFS;
 
 	if (nla_put_u32(msg, NL802154_ATTR_IFINDEX, dev->ifindex))
 		goto nla_put_failure;