diff --git a/net/mac80211/tdls.c b/net/mac80211/tdls.c
index dbbfe2d6842f..d7d8b2fcc3ee 100644
--- a/net/mac80211/tdls.c
+++ b/net/mac80211/tdls.c
@@ -1457,8 +1457,9 @@ int ieee80211_tdls_oper(struct wiphy *wiphy, struct net_device *dev,
 
 		set_sta_flag(sta, WLAN_STA_TDLS_PEER_AUTH);
 
-		WARN_ON_ONCE(is_zero_ether_addr(sdata->u.mgd.tdls_peer) ||
-			     !ether_addr_equal(sdata->u.mgd.tdls_peer, peer));
+		if (is_zero_ether_addr(sdata->u.mgd.tdls_peer) ||
+		    !ether_addr_equal(sdata->u.mgd.tdls_peer, peer))
+			return -ENOLINK;
 		break;
 	case NL80211_TDLS_DISABLE_LINK:
 		/*