diff --git a/net/ceph/osd_client.c b/net/ceph/osd_client.c
index f640bdf..fa74ae0 100644
--- a/net/ceph/osd_client.c
+++ b/net/ceph/osd_client.c
@@ -2108,15 +2108,19 @@
 /*
  * authentication
  */
-static int get_authorizer(struct ceph_connection *con,
-			  void **buf, int *len, int *proto,
-			  void **reply_buf, int *reply_len, int force_new)
+/*
+ * Note: returned pointer is the address of a structure that's
+ * managed separately.  Caller must *not* attempt to free it.
+ */
+static struct ceph_auth_handshake *get_authorizer(struct ceph_connection *con,
+					void **buf, int *len, int *proto,
+					void **reply_buf, int *reply_len,
+					int force_new)
 {
 	struct ceph_osd *o = con->private;
 	struct ceph_osd_client *osdc = o->o_osdc;
 	struct ceph_auth_client *ac = osdc->client->monc.auth;
 	struct ceph_auth_handshake *auth = &o->o_auth;
-	int ret = 0;
 
 	if (force_new && auth->authorizer) {
 		if (ac->ops && ac->ops->destroy_authorizer)
@@ -2124,9 +2128,10 @@
 		auth->authorizer = NULL;
 	}
 	if (!auth->authorizer && ac->ops && ac->ops->create_authorizer) {
-		ret = ac->ops->create_authorizer(ac, CEPH_ENTITY_TYPE_OSD, auth);
+		int ret = ac->ops->create_authorizer(ac, CEPH_ENTITY_TYPE_OSD,
+							auth);
 		if (ret)
-			return ret;
+			return ERR_PTR(ret);
 	}
 
 	*proto = ac->protocol;
@@ -2135,7 +2140,7 @@
 	*reply_buf = auth->authorizer_reply_buf;
 	*reply_len = auth->authorizer_reply_buf_len;
 
-	return 0;
+	return auth;
 }