diff --git a/Documentation/components/drivers/special/syslog.rst b/Documentation/components/drivers/special/syslog.rst
index 2a28258b98..a63233a43e 100644
--- a/Documentation/components/drivers/special/syslog.rst
+++ b/Documentation/components/drivers/special/syslog.rst
@@ -392,7 +392,8 @@ mounting of the file systems.
 The interface ``syslog_file_channel()`` is used to configure the
 SYSLOG file channel:
 
-.. c:function:: int syslog_file_channel(FAR const char *devpath);
+.. c:function:: FAR struct syslog_channel_s *
+                    syslog_file_channel(FAR const char *devpath);
 
   Configure to use a file in a mounted file system
   at ``devpath`` as the SYSLOG channel.
@@ -423,8 +424,8 @@ SYSLOG file channel:
     ``syslog_file_channel()`` will create the file.
 
   :return:
-    Zero (``OK``) is returned on success; a
-    negated ``errno`` value is returned on any failure.
+    A pointer to the new syslog channel; ``NULL`` is returned
+    on any failure.
 
   References: ``drivers/syslog/syslog_filechannel.c``,
   ``drivers/syslog/syslog_device.c``, and
diff --git a/boards/arm/stm32/clicker2-stm32/src/stm32_appinit.c b/boards/arm/stm32/clicker2-stm32/src/stm32_appinit.c
index ba9cf752da..4f709b266b 100644
--- a/boards/arm/stm32/clicker2-stm32/src/stm32_appinit.c
+++ b/boards/arm/stm32/clicker2-stm32/src/stm32_appinit.c
@@ -96,11 +96,12 @@ int board_app_initialize(uintptr_t arg)
 
   nxsig_usleep(CONFIG_CLICKER2_STM32_SYSLOG_FILE_DELAY * 1000);
 
-  ret = syslog_file_channel(CONFIG_CLICKER2_STM32_SYSLOG_FILE_PATH);
-  if (ret < 0)
+  FAR struct syslog_channel_s *channel;
+  channel = syslog_file_channel(CONFIG_CLICKER2_STM32_SYSLOG_FILE_PATH);
+  if (channel == NULL)
     {
-      syslog(LOG_ERR, "ERROR: syslog_file_channel() failed: %d\n", ret);
-      return ret;
+      syslog(LOG_ERR, "ERROR: syslog_file_channel() failed\n");
+      return -EINVAL;
     }
 #endif
 
diff --git a/drivers/syslog/README.txt b/drivers/syslog/README.txt
index 97bda14aa2..2e1019cd7b 100644
--- a/drivers/syslog/README.txt
+++ b/drivers/syslog/README.txt
@@ -372,7 +372,7 @@ SYSLOG Channel Options
   Prototype:
 
     #ifdef CONFIG_SYSLOG_FILE
-    int syslog_file_channel(FAR const char *devpath);
+    FAR struct syslog_channel_s *syslog_file_channel(FAR const char *devpath);
     #endif
 
   Description:
@@ -406,8 +406,7 @@ SYSLOG Channel Options
 
   Returned Value:
 
-    Zero (OK) is returned on success; a negated errno value is returned on
-    any failure.
+    A pointer to the new SYSLOG channel; NULL is returned on any failure.
 
   References: drivers/syslog/syslog_filechannel.c,
   drivers/syslog/syslog_device.c, and include/nuttx/syslog/syslog.h.
diff --git a/drivers/syslog/syslog.h b/drivers/syslog/syslog.h
index 331f82c7b3..279b9b0699 100644
--- a/drivers/syslog/syslog.h
+++ b/drivers/syslog/syslog.h
@@ -125,13 +125,12 @@ void syslog_dev_uninitialize(FAR struct syslog_channel_s *channel);
  *   None
  *
  * Returned Value:
- *   Zero (OK) is returned on success; a negated errno value is returned on
- *   any failure.
+ *   A pointer to the new SYSLOG channel; NULL is returned on any failure.
  *
  ****************************************************************************/
 
 #ifdef CONFIG_SYSLOG_CHAR
-int syslog_dev_channel(void);
+FAR struct syslog_channel_s *syslog_dev_channel(void);
 #endif
 
 /****************************************************************************
@@ -156,13 +155,12 @@ int syslog_dev_channel(void);
  *   None
  *
  * Returned Value:
- *   Zero (OK) is returned on success; a negated errno value is returned on
- *   any failure.
+ *   A pointer to the new SYSLOG channel; NULL is returned on any failure.
  *
  ****************************************************************************/
 
 #ifdef CONFIG_SYSLOG_CONSOLE
-int syslog_console_channel(void);
+FAR struct syslog_channel_s *syslog_console_channel(void);
 #endif
 
 /****************************************************************************
diff --git a/drivers/syslog/syslog_consolechannel.c b/drivers/syslog/syslog_consolechannel.c
index c85a4a8080..9fcd426f7b 100644
--- a/drivers/syslog/syslog_consolechannel.c
+++ b/drivers/syslog/syslog_consolechannel.c
@@ -75,12 +75,11 @@ FAR static struct syslog_channel_s *g_syslog_console_channel;
  *   None
  *
  * Returned Value:
- *   Zero (OK) is returned on success; a negated errno value is returned on
- *   any failure.
+ *   A pointer to the new SYSLOG channel; NULL is returned on any failure.
  *
  ****************************************************************************/
 
-int syslog_console_channel(void)
+FAR struct syslog_channel_s *syslog_console_channel(void)
 {
   /* Initialize the character driver interface */
 
@@ -88,12 +87,18 @@ int syslog_console_channel(void)
                                                    OPEN_FLAGS, OPEN_MODE);
   if (g_syslog_console_channel == NULL)
     {
-      return -ENOMEM;
+      return NULL;
     }
 
   /* Use the character driver as the SYSLOG channel */
 
-  return syslog_channel(g_syslog_console_channel);
+  if (syslog_channel(g_syslog_console_channel) != OK)
+    {
+      syslog_dev_uninitialize(g_syslog_console_channel);
+      g_syslog_console_channel = NULL;
+    }
+
+  return g_syslog_console_channel;
 }
 
 #endif /* CONFIG_SYSLOG_CONSOLE */
diff --git a/drivers/syslog/syslog_devchannel.c b/drivers/syslog/syslog_devchannel.c
index d3826880eb..00b534dbc5 100644
--- a/drivers/syslog/syslog_devchannel.c
+++ b/drivers/syslog/syslog_devchannel.c
@@ -72,12 +72,11 @@ FAR static struct syslog_channel_s *g_syslog_dev_channel;
  *   None
  *
  * Returned Value:
- *   Zero (OK) is returned on success; a negated errno value is returned on
- *   any failure.
+ *   A pointer to the new SYSLOG channel; NULL is returned on any failure.
  *
  ****************************************************************************/
 
-int syslog_dev_channel(void)
+FAR struct syslog_channel_s *syslog_dev_channel(void)
 {
   /* Initialize the character driver interface */
 
@@ -85,12 +84,18 @@ int syslog_dev_channel(void)
                                                OPEN_FLAGS, OPEN_MODE);
   if (g_syslog_dev_channel == NULL)
     {
-      return -ENOMEM;
+      return NULL;
     }
 
   /* Use the character driver as the SYSLOG channel */
 
-  return syslog_channel(g_syslog_dev_channel);
+  if (syslog_channel(g_syslog_dev_channel) != OK)
+    {
+      syslog_dev_uninitialize(g_syslog_dev_channel);
+      g_syslog_dev_channel = NULL;
+    }
+
+  return g_syslog_dev_channel;
 }
 
 #endif /* CONFIG_SYSLOG_CHAR */
diff --git a/drivers/syslog/syslog_filechannel.c b/drivers/syslog/syslog_filechannel.c
index 0a5346d008..98e7e2f2a5 100644
--- a/drivers/syslog/syslog_filechannel.c
+++ b/drivers/syslog/syslog_filechannel.c
@@ -85,15 +85,12 @@ FAR static struct syslog_channel_s *g_syslog_file_channel;
  *     file.
  *
  * Returned Value:
- *   Zero (OK) is returned on success; a negated errno value is returned on
- *   any failure.
+ *   A pointer to the new SYSLOG channel; NULL is returned on any failure.
  *
  ****************************************************************************/
 
-int syslog_file_channel(FAR const char *devpath)
+FAR struct syslog_channel_s *syslog_file_channel(FAR const char *devpath)
 {
-  int ret;
-
   /* Reset the default SYSLOG channel so that we can safely modify the
    * SYSLOG device.  This is an atomic operation and we should be safe
    * after the default channel has been selected.
@@ -117,7 +114,6 @@ int syslog_file_channel(FAR const char *devpath)
                                                 OPEN_MODE);
   if (g_syslog_file_channel == NULL)
     {
-      ret = -ENOMEM;
       goto errout_with_lock;
     }
 
@@ -125,11 +121,15 @@ int syslog_file_channel(FAR const char *devpath)
    * screwed.
    */
 
-  ret = syslog_channel(g_syslog_file_channel);
+  if (syslog_channel(g_syslog_file_channel) != OK)
+    {
+      syslog_dev_uninitialize(g_syslog_file_channel);
+      g_syslog_file_channel = NULL;
+    }
 
 errout_with_lock:
   sched_unlock();
-  return ret;
+  return g_syslog_file_channel;
 }
 
 #endif /* CONFIG_SYSLOG_FILE */
diff --git a/drivers/syslog/syslog_initialize.c b/drivers/syslog/syslog_initialize.c
index 671d74d966..d6c302b967 100644
--- a/drivers/syslog/syslog_initialize.c
+++ b/drivers/syslog/syslog_initialize.c
@@ -72,11 +72,11 @@ int syslog_initialize(void)
 #if defined(CONFIG_SYSLOG_CHAR)
   /* Enable use of a character device as the SYSLOG device */
 
-  ret = syslog_dev_channel();
+  syslog_dev_channel();
 #elif defined(CONFIG_SYSLOG_CONSOLE)
   /* Use the console device as the SYSLOG device */
 
-  ret = syslog_console_channel();
+  syslog_console_channel();
 #endif
 
 #ifdef CONFIG_RAMLOG_SYSLOG
diff --git a/include/nuttx/syslog/syslog.h b/include/nuttx/syslog/syslog.h
index c056a66392..576ff9f816 100644
--- a/include/nuttx/syslog/syslog.h
+++ b/include/nuttx/syslog/syslog.h
@@ -233,13 +233,12 @@ int syslog_initialize(void);
  *     file.
  *
  * Returned Value:
- *   Zero (OK) is returned on success; a negated errno value is returned on
- *   any failure.
+ *   A pointer to the new SYSLOG channel; NULL is returned on any failure.
  *
  ****************************************************************************/
 
 #ifdef CONFIG_SYSLOG_FILE
-int syslog_file_channel(FAR const char *devpath);
+FAR struct syslog_channel_s *syslog_file_channel(FAR const char *devpath);
 #endif
 
 /****************************************************************************