diff --git a/sys/dev/e1000/e1000_i210.c b/sys/dev/e1000/e1000_i210.c
index cd85a8c3172a..d3692db11245 100644
--- a/sys/dev/e1000/e1000_i210.c
+++ b/sys/dev/e1000/e1000_i210.c
@@ -195,6 +195,8 @@ static s32 e1000_write_nvm_srwr(struct e1000_hw *hw, u16 offset, u16 words,
 	}
 
 	for (i = 0; i < words; i++) {
+		ret_val = -E1000_ERR_NVM;
+
 		eewr = ((offset + i) << E1000_NVM_RW_ADDR_SHIFT) |
 			(data[i] << E1000_NVM_RW_REG_DATA) |
 			E1000_NVM_RW_REG_START;