diff --git a/fs/xfs/scrub/common.c b/fs/xfs/scrub/common.c
index 663442d31f82..d1b0c8b3a321 100644
--- a/fs/xfs/scrub/common.c
+++ b/fs/xfs/scrub/common.c
@@ -1207,6 +1207,9 @@ xchk_metadata_inode_subtype(
 	int			error;
 
 	sub = xchk_scrub_create_subord(sc, scrub_type);
+	if (!sub)
+		return -ENOMEM;
+
 	error = sub->sc.ops->scrub(&sub->sc);
 	xchk_scrub_free_subord(sub);
 	return error;
diff --git a/fs/xfs/scrub/repair.c b/fs/xfs/scrub/repair.c
index 155bbaaa496e..c19abc687072 100644
--- a/fs/xfs/scrub/repair.c
+++ b/fs/xfs/scrub/repair.c
@@ -1016,6 +1016,9 @@ xrep_metadata_inode_subtype(
 	 * setup/teardown routines.
 	 */
 	sub = xchk_scrub_create_subord(sc, scrub_type);
+	if (!sub)
+		return -ENOMEM;
+
 	error = sub->sc.ops->scrub(&sub->sc);
 	if (error)
 		goto out;
diff --git a/fs/xfs/scrub/scrub.c b/fs/xfs/scrub/scrub.c
index 5c266d2842db..9bcea8cbb7a6 100644
--- a/fs/xfs/scrub/scrub.c
+++ b/fs/xfs/scrub/scrub.c
@@ -571,7 +571,7 @@ xchk_scrub_create_subord(
 
 	sub = kzalloc(sizeof(*sub), XCHK_GFP_FLAGS);
 	if (!sub)
-		return ERR_PTR(-ENOMEM);
+		return NULL;
 
 	sub->old_smtype = sc->sm->sm_type;
 	sub->old_smflags = sc->sm->sm_flags;