diff --git a/src/tty.c b/src/tty.c
index 6d58aa5cc..05e5e20fa 100644
--- a/src/tty.c
+++ b/src/tty.c
@@ -174,7 +174,7 @@ tty_create(struct weston_compositor *compositor, tty_vt_func_t vt_func,
 		if (ioctl(tty->fd, VT_ACTIVATE, tty->vt) < 0 ||
 		    ioctl(tty->fd, VT_WAITACTIVE, tty->vt) < 0) {
 			weston_log("failed to swtich to new vt\n");
-			return NULL;
+			goto err;
 		}
 	}