diff --git a/lib/librte_ether/rte_flow.c b/lib/librte_ether/rte_flow.c
index d98fb1b333..aaa70d68cb 100644
--- a/lib/librte_ether/rte_flow.c
+++ b/lib/librte_ether/rte_flow.c
@@ -78,9 +78,9 @@ rte_flow_validate(uint8_t port_id,
 		return -rte_errno;
 	if (likely(!!ops->validate))
 		return ops->validate(dev, attr, pattern, actions, error);
-	rte_flow_error_set(error, ENOSYS, RTE_FLOW_ERROR_TYPE_UNSPECIFIED,
-			   NULL, rte_strerror(ENOSYS));
-	return -rte_errno;
+	return -rte_flow_error_set(error, ENOSYS,
+				   RTE_FLOW_ERROR_TYPE_UNSPECIFIED,
+				   NULL, rte_strerror(ENOSYS));
 }
 
 /* Create a flow rule on a given port. */
@@ -116,9 +116,9 @@ rte_flow_destroy(uint8_t port_id,
 		return -rte_errno;
 	if (likely(!!ops->destroy))
 		return ops->destroy(dev, flow, error);
-	rte_flow_error_set(error, ENOSYS, RTE_FLOW_ERROR_TYPE_UNSPECIFIED,
-			   NULL, rte_strerror(ENOSYS));
-	return -rte_errno;
+	return -rte_flow_error_set(error, ENOSYS,
+				   RTE_FLOW_ERROR_TYPE_UNSPECIFIED,
+				   NULL, rte_strerror(ENOSYS));
 }
 
 /* Destroy all flow rules associated with a port. */
@@ -133,9 +133,9 @@ rte_flow_flush(uint8_t port_id,
 		return -rte_errno;
 	if (likely(!!ops->flush))
 		return ops->flush(dev, error);
-	rte_flow_error_set(error, ENOSYS, RTE_FLOW_ERROR_TYPE_UNSPECIFIED,
-			   NULL, rte_strerror(ENOSYS));
-	return -rte_errno;
+	return -rte_flow_error_set(error, ENOSYS,
+				   RTE_FLOW_ERROR_TYPE_UNSPECIFIED,
+				   NULL, rte_strerror(ENOSYS));
 }
 
 /* Query an existing flow rule. */
@@ -153,7 +153,7 @@ rte_flow_query(uint8_t port_id,
 		return -rte_errno;
 	if (likely(!!ops->query))
 		return ops->query(dev, flow, action, data, error);
-	rte_flow_error_set(error, ENOSYS, RTE_FLOW_ERROR_TYPE_UNSPECIFIED,
-			   NULL, rte_strerror(ENOSYS));
-	return -rte_errno;
+	return -rte_flow_error_set(error, ENOSYS,
+				   RTE_FLOW_ERROR_TYPE_UNSPECIFIED,
+				   NULL, rte_strerror(ENOSYS));
 }
diff --git a/lib/librte_ether/rte_flow_driver.h b/lib/librte_ether/rte_flow_driver.h
index cc97785b50..da5749d520 100644
--- a/lib/librte_ether/rte_flow_driver.h
+++ b/lib/librte_ether/rte_flow_driver.h
@@ -139,9 +139,9 @@ struct rte_flow_ops {
  *   Human-readable error message.
  *
  * @return
- *   Pointer to flow error structure.
+ *   Error code.
  */
-static inline struct rte_flow_error *
+static inline int
 rte_flow_error_set(struct rte_flow_error *error,
 		   int code,
 		   enum rte_flow_error_type type,
@@ -156,7 +156,7 @@ rte_flow_error_set(struct rte_flow_error *error,
 		};
 	}
 	rte_errno = code;
-	return error;
+	return code;
 }
 
 /**