diff --git a/drivers/nvme/host/auth.c b/drivers/nvme/host/auth.c
index 787537454f7fbb..3e96714b8bc079 100644
--- a/drivers/nvme/host/auth.c
+++ b/drivers/nvme/host/auth.c
@@ -254,7 +254,7 @@ static int nvme_auth_process_dhchap_challenge(struct nvme_ctrl *ctrl,
 				 chap->qid, ret, gid_name);
 			chap->status = NVME_AUTH_DHCHAP_FAILURE_DHGROUP_UNUSABLE;
 			chap->dh_tfm = NULL;
-			return -ret;
+			return ret;
 		}
 		dev_dbg(ctrl->device, "qid %d: selected DH group %s\n",
 			chap->qid, gid_name);