diff --git a/services/audioflinger/AudioFlinger.cpp b/services/audioflinger/AudioFlinger.cpp
index d850aa9..fe5a054 100644
--- a/services/audioflinger/AudioFlinger.cpp
+++ b/services/audioflinger/AudioFlinger.cpp
@@ -1279,7 +1279,7 @@
         if (thread == NULL) {
             thread = (ThreadBase *)checkMmapThread_l(ioHandle);
             if (thread == NULL) {
-                String8("");
+                return String8("");
             }
         }
     }