diff --git a/arch/powerpc/kernel/trace/ftrace.c b/arch/powerpc/kernel/trace/ftrace.c
index 98e82fa4980fa1..1b05d33f96c670 100644
--- a/arch/powerpc/kernel/trace/ftrace.c
+++ b/arch/powerpc/kernel/trace/ftrace.c
@@ -78,10 +78,7 @@ ftrace_modify_code(unsigned long ip, ppc_inst_t old, ppc_inst_t new)
 	}
 
 	/* replace the text with the new text */
-	if (patch_instruction((u32 *)ip, new))
-		return -EPERM;
-
-	return 0;
+	return patch_instruction((u32 *)ip, new);
 }
 
 /*
diff --git a/arch/powerpc/lib/code-patching.c b/arch/powerpc/lib/code-patching.c
index 46ffce27135ed2..6edf0697a526b2 100644
--- a/arch/powerpc/lib/code-patching.c
+++ b/arch/powerpc/lib/code-patching.c
@@ -33,7 +33,7 @@ static int __patch_instruction(u32 *exec_addr, ppc_inst_t instr, u32 *patch_addr
 	return 0;
 
 failed:
-	return -EFAULT;
+	return -EPERM;
 }
 
 int raw_patch_instruction(u32 *addr, ppc_inst_t instr)