diff --git a/src/video_engine/vie_channel_manager.cc b/src/video_engine/vie_channel_manager.cc
index d0fc416e0b..1928dcf792 100644
--- a/src/video_engine/vie_channel_manager.cc
+++ b/src/video_engine/vie_channel_manager.cc
@@ -97,6 +97,7 @@ int ViEChannelManager::CreateChannel(int& channel_id) {
     vie_encoder = NULL;
     ReturnChannelId(new_channel_id);
     delete group;
+    return -1;
   }
 
   channel_id = new_channel_id;