diff --git a/src/ports/SkFontHost_FreeType.cpp b/src/ports/SkFontHost_FreeType.cpp
index 8b233ff..2eaf2bf 100644
--- a/src/ports/SkFontHost_FreeType.cpp
+++ b/src/ports/SkFontHost_FreeType.cpp
@@ -618,7 +618,7 @@
     auto c = skstd::make_unique<SkScalerContext_FreeType>(
             sk_ref_sp(const_cast<SkTypeface_FreeType*>(this)), effects, desc);
     if (!c->success()) {
-        c = nullptr;
+        return nullptr;
     }
     return c.release();
 }