diff --git a/modules/access/smb2.c b/modules/access/smb2.c
index 7a26ceb756..4980a0e9dc 100644
--- a/modules/access/smb2.c
+++ b/modules/access/smb2.c
@@ -763,18 +763,19 @@ error:
     return op.error_status;
 }
 
-static char *
-vlc_smb2_resolve(stream_t *access, const char *host, unsigned port)
+static int
+vlc_smb2_resolve(stream_t *access, const char *host, unsigned port,
+                 char **out_host)
 {
     (void) access;
     if (!host)
-        return NULL;
+        return -ENOENT;
 
 #ifdef HAVE_DSM
     /* Test if the host is an IP */
     struct in_addr addr;
     if (inet_pton(AF_INET, host, &addr) == 1)
-        return NULL;
+        return -ENOENT;
 
     /* Test if the host can be resolved */
     struct addrinfo *info = NULL;
@@ -782,28 +783,32 @@ vlc_smb2_resolve(stream_t *access, const char *host, unsigned port)
     {
         freeaddrinfo(info);
         /* Let smb2 resolve it */
-        return NULL;
+        return -ENOENT;
     }
 
     /* Test if the host is a netbios name */
-    char *out_host = NULL;
     netbios_ns *ns = netbios_ns_new();
     if (!ns)
-        return NULL;
+        return -ENOMEM;
+
+    int ret = -ENOENT;
     netbios_ns_interrupt_register(ns);
     uint32_t ip4_addr;
     if (netbios_ns_resolve(ns, host, NETBIOS_FILESERVER, &ip4_addr) == 0)
     {
         char ip[INET_ADDRSTRLEN];
         if (inet_ntop(AF_INET, &ip4_addr, ip, sizeof(ip)))
-            out_host = strdup(ip);
+        {
+            *out_host = strdup(ip);
+            ret = 0;
+        }
     }
     netbios_ns_interrupt_unregister();
     netbios_ns_destroy(ns);
-    return out_host;
+    return ret;
 #else
     (void) port;
-    return NULL;
+    return -ENOENT;
 #endif
 }
 
@@ -826,13 +831,14 @@ Open(vlc_object_t *p_obj)
     if (sys->encoded_url.psz_path == NULL)
         sys->encoded_url.psz_path = (char *) "/";
 
-    char *resolved_host = vlc_smb2_resolve(access, sys->encoded_url.psz_host,
-                                           sys->encoded_url.i_port);
+    char *resolved_host = NULL;
+    ret = vlc_smb2_resolve(access, sys->encoded_url.psz_host,
+                           sys->encoded_url.i_port, &resolved_host);
 
     /* smb2_* functions need a decoded url. Re compose the url from the
      * modified sys->encoded_url (with the resolved host). */
     char *url;
-    if (resolved_host != NULL)
+    if (ret == 0)
     {
         vlc_url_t resolved_url = sys->encoded_url;
         resolved_url.psz_host = resolved_host;