diff --git a/src/nvme/mi.c b/src/nvme/mi.c
index 82ed88a7..84d51b0c 100644
--- a/src/nvme/mi.c
+++ b/src/nvme/mi.c
@@ -433,7 +433,8 @@ int nvme_mi_submit(nvme_mi_ep_t ep, struct nvme_mi_req *req,
 		rc = nvme_mi_verify_resp_mic(resp);
 		if (rc) {
 			nvme_msg(ep->root, LOG_WARNING, "crc mismatch\n");
-			return rc;
+			errno = EBADMSG;
+			return -1;
 		}
 	}
 
diff --git a/test/mi.c b/test/mi.c
index a09c108b..a86ba155 100644
--- a/test/mi.c
+++ b/test/mi.c
@@ -306,7 +306,7 @@ static void test_invalid_crc(nvme_mi_ep_t ep)
 
 	test_set_transport_callback(ep, test_invalid_crc_cb, NULL);
 	rc = nvme_mi_mi_read_mi_data_subsys(ep, &ss_info);
-	assert(rc != 0);
+	assert(rc < 0);
 }
 
 /* test: test that the controller list populates the endpoint's list of