diff --git a/kernel/params.c b/kernel/params.c
index ed72e1330862..2a4ba258f04f 100644
--- a/kernel/params.c
+++ b/kernel/params.c
@@ -225,8 +225,8 @@ int parse_args(const char *name,
 		int ret;						\
 									\
 		ret = strtolfn(val, 0, &l);				\
-		if (ret == -EINVAL || ((type)l != l))			\
-			return -EINVAL;					\
+		if (ret < 0 || ((type)l != l))				\
+			return ret < 0 ? ret : -EINVAL;			\
 		*((type *)kp->arg) = l;					\
 		return 0;						\
 	}								\