diff --git a/drivers/net/atlantic/atl_ethdev.c b/drivers/net/atlantic/atl_ethdev.c
index 473f6209f6aa..ce7f814f255d 100644
--- a/drivers/net/atlantic/atl_ethdev.c
+++ b/drivers/net/atlantic/atl_ethdev.c
@@ -1073,7 +1073,7 @@ atl_fw_version_get(struct rte_eth_dev *dev, char *fw_version, size_t fw_size)
 {
 	struct aq_hw_s *hw = ATL_DEV_PRIVATE_TO_HW(dev->data->dev_private);
 	uint32_t fw_ver = 0;
-	unsigned int ret = 0;
+	int ret = 0;
 
 	ret = hw_atl_utils_get_fw_version(hw, &fw_ver);
 	if (ret)
@@ -1081,10 +1081,11 @@ atl_fw_version_get(struct rte_eth_dev *dev, char *fw_version, size_t fw_size)
 
 	ret = snprintf(fw_version, fw_size, "%u.%u.%u", fw_ver >> 24,
 		       (fw_ver >> 16) & 0xFFU, fw_ver & 0xFFFFU);
+	if (ret < 0)
+		return -EINVAL;
 
 	ret += 1; /* add string null-terminator */
-
-	if (fw_size < ret)
+	if (fw_size < (size_t)ret)
 		return ret;
 
 	return 0;
diff --git a/drivers/net/axgbe/axgbe_rxtx.c b/drivers/net/axgbe/axgbe_rxtx.c
index e34bb6d448fc..33f709a6bb02 100644
--- a/drivers/net/axgbe/axgbe_rxtx.c
+++ b/drivers/net/axgbe/axgbe_rxtx.c
@@ -623,9 +623,6 @@ int axgbe_dev_fw_version_get(struct rte_eth_dev *eth_dev,
 	pdata = (struct axgbe_port *)eth_dev->data->dev_private;
 	hw_feat = &pdata->hw_feat;
 
-	if (fw_version == NULL)
-		return -EINVAL;
-
 	ret = snprintf(fw_version, fw_size, "%d.%d.%d",
 			AXGMAC_GET_BITS(hw_feat->version, MAC_VR, USERVER),
 			AXGMAC_GET_BITS(hw_feat->version, MAC_VR, DEVID),
@@ -634,7 +631,6 @@ int axgbe_dev_fw_version_get(struct rte_eth_dev *eth_dev,
 		return -EINVAL;
 
 	ret += 1; /* add the size of '\0' */
-
 	if (fw_size < (size_t)ret)
 		return ret;
 	else
diff --git a/drivers/net/bnxt/bnxt_ethdev.c b/drivers/net/bnxt/bnxt_ethdev.c
index f5d2dc85907d..dba5b9f94df4 100644
--- a/drivers/net/bnxt/bnxt_ethdev.c
+++ b/drivers/net/bnxt/bnxt_ethdev.c
@@ -2794,9 +2794,11 @@ bnxt_fw_version_get(struct rte_eth_dev *dev, char *fw_version, size_t fw_size)
 
 	ret = snprintf(fw_version, fw_size, "%d.%d.%d.%d",
 			fw_major, fw_minor, fw_updt, fw_rsvd);
+	if (ret < 0)
+		return -EINVAL;
 
 	ret += 1; /* add the size of '\0' */
-	if (fw_size < (uint32_t)ret)
+	if (fw_size < (size_t)ret)
 		return ret;
 	else
 		return 0;
diff --git a/drivers/net/dpaa/dpaa_ethdev.c b/drivers/net/dpaa/dpaa_ethdev.c
index 176943a8eae6..57ee660c5e57 100644
--- a/drivers/net/dpaa/dpaa_ethdev.c
+++ b/drivers/net/dpaa/dpaa_ethdev.c
@@ -532,9 +532,11 @@ dpaa_fw_version_get(struct rte_eth_dev *dev __rte_unused,
 
 	ret = snprintf(fw_version, fw_size, "SVR:%x-fman-v%x",
 		       svr_ver, fman_ip_rev);
-	ret += 1; /* add the size of '\0' */
+	if (ret < 0)
+		return -EINVAL;
 
-	if (fw_size < (uint32_t)ret)
+	ret += 1; /* add the size of '\0' */
+	if (fw_size < (size_t)ret)
 		return ret;
 	else
 		return 0;
diff --git a/drivers/net/dpaa2/dpaa2_ethdev.c b/drivers/net/dpaa2/dpaa2_ethdev.c
index 9011dcfc1242..95e8d9abe869 100644
--- a/drivers/net/dpaa2/dpaa2_ethdev.c
+++ b/drivers/net/dpaa2/dpaa2_ethdev.c
@@ -226,9 +226,11 @@ dpaa2_fw_version_get(struct rte_eth_dev *dev,
 		       mc_ver_info.major,
 		       mc_ver_info.minor,
 		       mc_ver_info.revision);
+	if (ret < 0)
+		return -EINVAL;
 
 	ret += 1; /* add the size of '\0' */
-	if (fw_size < (uint32_t)ret)
+	if (fw_size < (size_t)ret)
 		return ret;
 	else
 		return 0;
diff --git a/drivers/net/e1000/igb_ethdev.c b/drivers/net/e1000/igb_ethdev.c
index 3fdffe329483..10ee0f33415a 100644
--- a/drivers/net/e1000/igb_ethdev.c
+++ b/drivers/net/e1000/igb_ethdev.c
@@ -2159,9 +2159,11 @@ eth_igb_fw_version_get(struct rte_eth_dev *dev, char *fw_version,
 		}
 		break;
 	}
+	if (ret < 0)
+		return -EINVAL;
 
 	ret += 1; /* add the size of '\0' */
-	if (fw_size < (u32)ret)
+	if (fw_size < (size_t)ret)
 		return ret;
 	else
 		return 0;
diff --git a/drivers/net/enic/enic_ethdev.c b/drivers/net/enic/enic_ethdev.c
index d91c2cdc8c54..e1a393b84762 100644
--- a/drivers/net/enic/enic_ethdev.c
+++ b/drivers/net/enic/enic_ethdev.c
@@ -1050,16 +1050,21 @@ static int enicpmd_dev_fw_version_get(struct rte_eth_dev *eth_dev,
 	int ret;
 
 	ENICPMD_FUNC_TRACE();
-	if (fw_version == NULL || fw_size <= 0)
-		return -EINVAL;
+
 	enic = pmd_priv(eth_dev);
 	ret = vnic_dev_fw_info(enic->vdev, &info);
 	if (ret)
 		return ret;
-	snprintf(fw_version, fw_size, "%s %s",
+	ret = snprintf(fw_version, fw_size, "%s %s",
 		 info->fw_version, info->fw_build);
-	fw_version[fw_size - 1] = '\0';
-	return 0;
+	if (ret < 0)
+		return -EINVAL;
+
+	ret += 1; /* add the size of '\0' */
+	if (fw_size < (size_t)ret)
+		return ret;
+	else
+		return 0;
 }
 
 static const struct eth_dev_ops enicpmd_eth_dev_ops = {
diff --git a/drivers/net/hns3/hns3_ethdev.c b/drivers/net/hns3/hns3_ethdev.c
index 60267e1ec115..bd0699af5844 100644
--- a/drivers/net/hns3/hns3_ethdev.c
+++ b/drivers/net/hns3/hns3_ethdev.c
@@ -2828,8 +2828,11 @@ hns3_fw_version_get(struct rte_eth_dev *eth_dev, char *fw_version,
 				      HNS3_FW_VERSION_BYTE1_S),
 		       hns3_get_field(version, HNS3_FW_VERSION_BYTE0_M,
 				      HNS3_FW_VERSION_BYTE0_S));
+	if (ret < 0)
+		return -EINVAL;
+
 	ret += 1; /* add the size of '\0' */
-	if (fw_size < (uint32_t)ret)
+	if (fw_size < (size_t)ret)
 		return ret;
 	else
 		return 0;
diff --git a/drivers/net/hns3/hns3_ethdev_vf.c b/drivers/net/hns3/hns3_ethdev_vf.c
index 7a7a6bfa7cc0..06a26fb9be92 100644
--- a/drivers/net/hns3/hns3_ethdev_vf.c
+++ b/drivers/net/hns3/hns3_ethdev_vf.c
@@ -2181,8 +2181,11 @@ hns3vf_fw_version_get(struct rte_eth_dev *eth_dev, char *fw_version,
 				      HNS3_FW_VERSION_BYTE1_S),
 		       hns3_get_field(version, HNS3_FW_VERSION_BYTE0_M,
 				      HNS3_FW_VERSION_BYTE0_S));
+	if (ret < 0)
+		return -EINVAL;
+
 	ret += 1; /* add the size of '\0' */
-	if (fw_size < (uint32_t)ret)
+	if (fw_size < (size_t)ret)
 		return ret;
 	else
 		return 0;
diff --git a/drivers/net/i40e/i40e_ethdev.c b/drivers/net/i40e/i40e_ethdev.c
index e6206a7e5100..66d23d698ea0 100644
--- a/drivers/net/i40e/i40e_ethdev.c
+++ b/drivers/net/i40e/i40e_ethdev.c
@@ -3687,9 +3687,11 @@ i40e_fw_version_get(struct rte_eth_dev *dev, char *fw_version, size_t fw_size)
 		 ((hw->nvm.version >> 4) & 0xff),
 		 (hw->nvm.version & 0xf), hw->nvm.eetrack,
 		 ver, build, patch);
+	if (ret < 0)
+		return -EINVAL;
 
 	ret += 1; /* add the size of '\0' */
-	if (fw_size < (u32)ret)
+	if (fw_size < (size_t)ret)
 		return ret;
 	else
 		return 0;
diff --git a/drivers/net/ice/ice_ethdev.c b/drivers/net/ice/ice_ethdev.c
index da9e85bd7c9e..c37a2e09ceb0 100644
--- a/drivers/net/ice/ice_ethdev.c
+++ b/drivers/net/ice/ice_ethdev.c
@@ -4646,10 +4646,12 @@ ice_fw_version_get(struct rte_eth_dev *dev, char *fw_version, size_t fw_size)
 			hw->flash.nvm.minor,
 			hw->flash.nvm.eetrack,
 			ver, build, patch);
+	if (ret < 0)
+		return -EINVAL;
 
 	/* add the size of '\0' */
 	ret += 1;
-	if (fw_size < (u32)ret)
+	if (fw_size < (size_t)ret)
 		return ret;
 	else
 		return 0;
diff --git a/drivers/net/igc/igc_ethdev.c b/drivers/net/igc/igc_ethdev.c
index 31c99dca099f..b1c58fb3deb9 100644
--- a/drivers/net/igc/igc_ethdev.c
+++ b/drivers/net/igc/igc_ethdev.c
@@ -1476,9 +1476,11 @@ eth_igc_fw_version_get(struct rte_eth_dev *dev, char *fw_version,
 				 fw.eep_build);
 		}
 	}
+	if (ret < 0)
+		return -EINVAL;
 
 	ret += 1; /* add the size of '\0' */
-	if (fw_size < (u32)ret)
+	if (fw_size < (size_t)ret)
 		return ret;
 	else
 		return 0;
diff --git a/drivers/net/ionic/ionic_ethdev.c b/drivers/net/ionic/ionic_ethdev.c
index cffe899c078c..5ec474dbf539 100644
--- a/drivers/net/ionic/ionic_ethdev.c
+++ b/drivers/net/ionic/ionic_ethdev.c
@@ -215,15 +215,18 @@ ionic_dev_fw_version_get(struct rte_eth_dev *eth_dev,
 {
 	struct ionic_lif *lif = IONIC_ETH_DEV_TO_LIF(eth_dev);
 	struct ionic_adapter *adapter = lif->adapter;
+	int ret;
 
-	if (fw_version == NULL || fw_size <= 0)
-		return -EINVAL;
-
-	snprintf(fw_version, fw_size, "%s",
+	ret = snprintf(fw_version, fw_size, "%s",
 		 adapter->fw_version);
-	fw_version[fw_size - 1] = '\0';
+	if (ret < 0)
+		return -EINVAL;
 
-	return 0;
+	ret += 1; /* add the size of '\0' */
+	if (fw_size < (size_t)ret)
+		return ret;
+	else
+		return 0;
 }
 
 /*
diff --git a/drivers/net/ixgbe/ixgbe_ethdev.c b/drivers/net/ixgbe/ixgbe_ethdev.c
index ff65145f5526..a5c191fe1b17 100644
--- a/drivers/net/ixgbe/ixgbe_ethdev.c
+++ b/drivers/net/ixgbe/ixgbe_ethdev.c
@@ -3814,9 +3814,11 @@ ixgbe_fw_version_get(struct rte_eth_dev *dev, char *fw_version, size_t fw_size)
 
 	etrack_id = (eeprom_verh << 16) | eeprom_verl;
 	ret = snprintf(fw_version, fw_size, "0x%08x", etrack_id);
+	if (ret < 0)
+		return -EINVAL;
 
 	ret += 1; /* add the size of '\0' */
-	if (fw_size < (u32)ret)
+	if (fw_size < (size_t)ret)
 		return ret;
 	else
 		return 0;
diff --git a/drivers/net/octeontx2/otx2_ethdev_ops.c b/drivers/net/octeontx2/otx2_ethdev_ops.c
index 6f0cdc585422..5a4501208e9e 100644
--- a/drivers/net/octeontx2/otx2_ethdev_ops.c
+++ b/drivers/net/octeontx2/otx2_ethdev_ops.c
@@ -453,7 +453,7 @@ otx2_nix_fw_version_get(struct rte_eth_dev *eth_dev, char *fw_version,
 	rc = strlcpy(fw_version, (char *)dev->mkex_pfl_name, rc);
 
 	rc += 1; /* Add the size of '\0' */
-	if (fw_size < (uint32_t)rc)
+	if (fw_size < (size_t)rc)
 		return rc;
 
 	return 0;
diff --git a/drivers/net/qede/qede_ethdev.c b/drivers/net/qede/qede_ethdev.c
index 057a7b00e2dc..c2c8de867501 100644
--- a/drivers/net/qede/qede_ethdev.c
+++ b/drivers/net/qede/qede_ethdev.c
@@ -237,9 +237,6 @@ qede_fw_version_get(struct rte_eth_dev *dev, char *fw_ver, size_t fw_size)
 	static char ver_str[QEDE_PMD_DRV_VER_STR_SIZE];
 	size_t size;
 
-	if (fw_ver == NULL)
-		return 0;
-
 	if (IS_PF(edev))
 		snprintf(ver_str, QEDE_PMD_DRV_VER_STR_SIZE, "%s",
 			 QEDE_PMD_FW_VERSION);
diff --git a/drivers/net/sfc/sfc_ethdev.c b/drivers/net/sfc/sfc_ethdev.c
index 52ba7b67b052..c50ecea0b993 100644
--- a/drivers/net/sfc/sfc_ethdev.c
+++ b/drivers/net/sfc/sfc_ethdev.c
@@ -46,14 +46,6 @@ sfc_fw_version_get(struct rte_eth_dev *dev, char *fw_version, size_t fw_size)
 	int ret;
 	int rc;
 
-	/*
-	 * Return value of the callback is likely supposed to be
-	 * equal to or greater than 0, nevertheless, if an error
-	 * occurs, it will be desirable to pass it to the caller
-	 */
-	if ((fw_version == NULL) || (fw_size == 0))
-		return -EINVAL;
-
 	rc = efx_nic_get_fw_version(sa->nic, &enfi);
 	if (rc != 0)
 		return -rc;
diff --git a/drivers/net/txgbe/txgbe_ethdev.c b/drivers/net/txgbe/txgbe_ethdev.c
index 97796f040b43..8dbe3da5c2c9 100644
--- a/drivers/net/txgbe/txgbe_ethdev.c
+++ b/drivers/net/txgbe/txgbe_ethdev.c
@@ -2582,9 +2582,11 @@ txgbe_fw_version_get(struct rte_eth_dev *dev, char *fw_version, size_t fw_size)
 	hw->phy.get_fw_version(hw, &etrack_id);
 
 	ret = snprintf(fw_version, fw_size, "0x%08x", etrack_id);
+	if (ret < 0)
+		return -EINVAL;
 
 	ret += 1; /* add the size of '\0' */
-	if (fw_size < (u32)ret)
+	if (fw_size < (size_t)ret)
 		return ret;
 	else
 		return 0;
diff --git a/lib/librte_ethdev/rte_ethdev.h b/lib/librte_ethdev/rte_ethdev.h
index a0d01d26675f..80841b44b680 100644
--- a/lib/librte_ethdev/rte_ethdev.h
+++ b/lib/librte_ethdev/rte_ethdev.h
@@ -3069,6 +3069,7 @@ int rte_eth_dev_info_get(uint16_t port_id, struct rte_eth_dev_info *dev_info);
  *   - (-ENOTSUP) if operation is not supported.
  *   - (-ENODEV) if *port_id* invalid.
  *   - (-EIO) if device is removed.
+ *   - (-EINVAL) if failed to get version.
  *   - (>0) if *fw_size* is not enough to store firmware version, return
  *          the size of the non truncated string.
  */
