diff --git a/nvme.c b/nvme.c
index 3e024b0f12..ce9fb4f7f3 100644
--- a/nvme.c
+++ b/nvme.c
@@ -5431,10 +5431,11 @@ static int get_register_property(int fd, void **pbar, int offset)
 
 	err = nvme_get_property(&args);
 	if (nvme_status_equals(err, NVME_STATUS_TYPE_NVME, NVME_SC_INVALID_FIELD)) {
-		err = 0;
 		value = -1;
 	} else if (err) {
 		nvme_show_error("get-property: %s", nvme_strerror(errno));
+		free(bar);
+		return err;
 	}
 
 	if (nvme_is_64bit_reg(offset))
@@ -5442,12 +5443,9 @@ static int get_register_property(int fd, void **pbar, int offset)
 	else
 		*(uint32_t *)(bar + offset) = value;
 
-	if (err)
-		free(bar);
-	else
-		*pbar = bar;
+	*pbar = bar;
 
-	return err;
+	return 0;
 }
 
 static int get_register(int argc, char **argv, struct command *cmd, struct plugin *plugin)