diff --git a/src/add-ons/kernel/drivers/common/usb_modeswitch.cpp b/src/add-ons/kernel/drivers/common/usb_modeswitch.cpp
index 5c03ab4a3a..8638076818 100644
--- a/src/add-ons/kernel/drivers/common/usb_modeswitch.cpp
+++ b/src/add-ons/kernel/drivers/common/usb_modeswitch.cpp
@@ -531,11 +531,13 @@ my_device_added(usb_device newDevice, void **cookie)
 
 	mutex_init(&device->lock, DRIVER_NAME " device lock");
 
-	device->notify = create_sem(0, DRIVER_NAME " callback notify");
-	if (device->notify < B_OK) {
+	sem_id id = create_sem(0, DRIVER_NAME " callback notify");
+	if (id < B_OK) {
 		mutex_destroy(&device->lock);
 		free(device);
-		return device->notify;
+		return id;
+	} else {
+		device->notify = id;
 	}
 
 	mutex_lock(&gDeviceListLock);