diff --git a/include/sbi/sbi_ipi.h b/include/sbi/sbi_ipi.h
index fb7d658b..f6ac8072 100644
--- a/include/sbi/sbi_ipi.h
+++ b/include/sbi/sbi_ipi.h
@@ -75,7 +75,7 @@ int sbi_ipi_send_halt(ulong hmask, ulong hbase);
 
 void sbi_ipi_process(void);
 
-void sbi_ipi_raw_send(u32 target_hart);
+int sbi_ipi_raw_send(u32 target_hart);
 
 const struct sbi_ipi_device *sbi_ipi_get_device(void);
 
diff --git a/lib/sbi/sbi_hsm.c b/lib/sbi/sbi_hsm.c
index 1165acc0..836008fc 100644
--- a/lib/sbi/sbi_hsm.c
+++ b/lib/sbi/sbi_hsm.c
@@ -289,7 +289,9 @@ int sbi_hsm_hart_start(struct sbi_scratch *scratch,
 	   (hsm_device_has_hart_secondary_boot() && !init_count)) {
 		return hsm_device_hart_start(hartid, scratch->warmboot_addr);
 	} else {
-		sbi_ipi_raw_send(hartid);
+		int rc = sbi_ipi_raw_send(hartid);
+		if (rc)
+		    return rc;
 	}
 
 	return 0;
diff --git a/lib/sbi/sbi_ipi.c b/lib/sbi/sbi_ipi.c
index 1014909b..7aafbbde 100644
--- a/lib/sbi/sbi_ipi.c
+++ b/lib/sbi/sbi_ipi.c
@@ -208,10 +208,13 @@ skip:
 	};
 }
 
-void sbi_ipi_raw_send(u32 target_hart)
+int sbi_ipi_raw_send(u32 target_hart)
 {
-	if (ipi_dev && ipi_dev->ipi_send)
-		ipi_dev->ipi_send(target_hart);
+	if (!ipi_dev || !ipi_dev->ipi_send)
+		return SBI_EINVAL;
+
+	ipi_dev->ipi_send(target_hart);
+	return 0;
 }
 
 const struct sbi_ipi_device *sbi_ipi_get_device(void)