diff --git a/kernel/fork.c b/kernel/fork.c
index f2c1e73..d778016 100644
--- a/kernel/fork.c
+++ b/kernel/fork.c
@@ -1403,10 +1403,11 @@
 		goto bad_fork_cleanup_io;
 
 	if (pid != &init_struct_pid) {
-		retval = -ENOMEM;
 		pid = alloc_pid(p->nsproxy->pid_ns_for_children);
-		if (!pid)
+		if (IS_ERR(pid)) {
+			retval = PTR_ERR(pid);
 			goto bad_fork_cleanup_io;
+		}
 	}
 
 	p->set_child_tid = (clone_flags & CLONE_CHILD_SETTID) ? child_tidptr : NULL;