diff --git a/drivers/net/ethernet/intel/ixgbevf/mbx.c b/drivers/net/ethernet/intel/ixgbevf/mbx.c
index 61a80da8b6f0..2819abc454c7 100644
--- a/drivers/net/ethernet/intel/ixgbevf/mbx.c
+++ b/drivers/net/ethernet/intel/ixgbevf/mbx.c
@@ -85,7 +85,7 @@ static s32 ixgbevf_poll_for_ack(struct ixgbe_hw *hw)
 static s32 ixgbevf_read_posted_mbx(struct ixgbe_hw *hw, u32 *msg, u16 size)
 {
 	struct ixgbe_mbx_info *mbx = &hw->mbx;
-	s32 ret_val = -IXGBE_ERR_MBX;
+	s32 ret_val = IXGBE_ERR_MBX;
 
 	if (!mbx->ops.read)
 		goto out;
@@ -111,7 +111,7 @@ static s32 ixgbevf_read_posted_mbx(struct ixgbe_hw *hw, u32 *msg, u16 size)
 static s32 ixgbevf_write_posted_mbx(struct ixgbe_hw *hw, u32 *msg, u16 size)
 {
 	struct ixgbe_mbx_info *mbx = &hw->mbx;
-	s32 ret_val = -IXGBE_ERR_MBX;
+	s32 ret_val = IXGBE_ERR_MBX;
 
 	/* exit if either we can't write or there isn't a defined timeout */
 	if (!mbx->ops.write || !mbx->timeout)