diff --git a/sched/task/task_spawn.c b/sched/task/task_spawn.c
index d5740c1eb7..327bf8c6f0 100644
--- a/sched/task/task_spawn.c
+++ b/sched/task/task_spawn.c
@@ -437,7 +437,7 @@ int task_spawn(FAR const char *name, main_t entry,
       goto errout_with_lock;
     }
 
-  return (int)pid;
+  ret = (int)pid;
 
 errout_with_lock:
 #ifdef CONFIG_SCHED_WAITPID