diff --git a/src/eap-peap.c b/src/eap-peap.c
index 2156e10a..ef0640b6 100644
--- a/src/eap-peap.c
+++ b/src/eap-peap.c
@@ -952,7 +952,8 @@ static int eap_peap_check_settings(struct l_settings *settings,
 
 	snprintf(entry, sizeof(entry), "%sPEAP-Phase2-", prefix);
 
-	return eap_check_settings(settings, secrets, entry, false, out_missing);
+	return __eap_check_settings(settings, secrets, entry, false,
+					out_missing);
 }
 
 static bool eap_peap_load_settings(struct eap_state *eap,
diff --git a/src/eap-ttls.c b/src/eap-ttls.c
index 00e0e7b2..702d946d 100644
--- a/src/eap-ttls.c
+++ b/src/eap-ttls.c
@@ -764,7 +764,7 @@ static int eap_ttls_check_settings(struct l_settings *settings,
 
 	snprintf(setting, sizeof(setting), "%sTTLS-Phase2-", prefix);
 
-	return eap_check_settings(settings, secrets, setting, false,
+	return __eap_check_settings(settings, secrets, setting, false,
 					out_missing);
 }
 
diff --git a/src/eap.c b/src/eap.c
index cea5305b..09647961 100644
--- a/src/eap.c
+++ b/src/eap.c
@@ -431,13 +431,12 @@ static int eap_setting_exists(struct l_settings *settings,
 	return -ENOENT;
 }
 
-int eap_check_settings(struct l_settings *settings, struct l_queue *secrets,
-			const char *prefix, bool set_key_material,
-			struct l_queue **out_missing)
+int __eap_check_settings(struct l_settings *settings, struct l_queue *secrets,
+				const char *prefix, bool set_key_material,
+				struct l_queue **missing)
 {
 	char setting[64];
 	const char *method_name;
-	struct l_queue *missing = NULL;
 	const struct l_queue_entry *entry;
 	struct eap_method *method;
 	int ret = 0;
@@ -470,11 +469,13 @@ int eap_check_settings(struct l_settings *settings, struct l_queue *secrets,
 		return -ENOTSUP;
 	}
 
-	if (method->check_settings)
+	if (method->check_settings) {
 		ret = method->check_settings(settings, secrets,
-						prefix, &missing);
-	if (ret)
-		goto error;
+						prefix, missing);
+
+		if (ret < 0)
+			return ret;
+	}
 
 	/*
 	 * Methods that provide the get_identity callback are responsible
@@ -484,14 +485,29 @@ int eap_check_settings(struct l_settings *settings, struct l_queue *secrets,
 	if (!method->get_identity) {
 		snprintf(setting, sizeof(setting), "%sIdentity", prefix);
 
-		ret = eap_setting_exists(settings, setting, secrets, missing);
+		ret = eap_setting_exists(settings, setting, secrets, *missing);
 		if (ret < 0) {
 			l_error("Property %s is missing", setting);
-			ret = -ENOENT;
-			goto error;
+			return -ENOENT;
 		}
 	}
 
+	return 0;
+}
+
+int eap_check_settings(struct l_settings *settings, struct l_queue *secrets,
+			const char *prefix, bool set_key_material,
+			struct l_queue **out_missing)
+{
+	struct l_queue *missing = NULL;
+	int ret = __eap_check_settings(settings, secrets, prefix,
+					set_key_material, &missing);
+
+	if (ret < 0) {
+		l_queue_destroy(missing, eap_secret_info_free);
+		return ret;
+	}
+
 	if (missing && l_queue_isempty(missing)) {
 		l_queue_destroy(missing, NULL);
 		missing = NULL;
@@ -499,10 +515,6 @@ int eap_check_settings(struct l_settings *settings, struct l_queue *secrets,
 
 	*out_missing = missing;
 	return 0;
-
-error:
-	l_queue_destroy(missing, eap_secret_info_free);
-	return ret;
 }
 
 bool eap_load_settings(struct eap_state *eap, struct l_settings *settings,
diff --git a/src/eap.h b/src/eap.h
index 2682bad2..ea8a71a2 100644
--- a/src/eap.h
+++ b/src/eap.h
@@ -66,6 +66,9 @@ void eap_append_secret(struct l_queue **out_missing, enum eap_secret_type type,
 			const char *id, const char *id2, const char *parameter);
 void eap_secret_info_free(void *data);
 
+int __eap_check_settings(struct l_settings *settings, struct l_queue *secrets,
+				const char *prefix, bool set_key_material,
+				struct l_queue **missing);
 int eap_check_settings(struct l_settings *settings, struct l_queue *secrets,
 			const char *prefix, bool set_key_material,
 			struct l_queue **out_missing);