diff --git a/porting/examples/dummy/main.c b/porting/examples/dummy/main.c
index 4c17d9502..5cd4bb08d 100644
--- a/porting/examples/dummy/main.c
+++ b/porting/examples/dummy/main.c
@@ -21,7 +21,7 @@
 
 int main(int argc, char **argv)
 {
-    nimble_port_init();
+    int ret = nimble_port_init();
 
-    return 0;
+    return ret;
 }
diff --git a/porting/examples/linux/main.c b/porting/examples/linux/main.c
index 25323b9a0..c39b927c5 100644
--- a/porting/examples/linux/main.c
+++ b/porting/examples/linux/main.c
@@ -66,8 +66,8 @@ int main(int argc, char *argv[])
         ble_hci_sock_set_device(atoi(argv[1]));
     }
 
-    nimble_port_init();
     ble_hci_sock_init();
+    ret = nimble_port_init();
 
     /* This example provides GATT Alert service */
     ble_svc_gap_init();
diff --git a/porting/examples/linux_blemesh/main.c b/porting/examples/linux_blemesh/main.c
index 5a9befdc1..064a12f9d 100644
--- a/porting/examples/linux_blemesh/main.c
+++ b/porting/examples/linux_blemesh/main.c
@@ -79,8 +79,8 @@ int main(int argc, char *argv[])
         ble_hci_sock_set_device(atoi(argv[1]));
     }
 
-    nimble_port_init();
     ble_hci_sock_init();
+    ret = nimble_port_init();
 
     ble_svc_gap_init();
     ble_svc_gatt_init();
diff --git a/porting/examples/nuttx/main.c b/porting/examples/nuttx/main.c
index 7e289be77..d2a2344e4 100644
--- a/porting/examples/nuttx/main.c
+++ b/porting/examples/nuttx/main.c
@@ -87,7 +87,12 @@ int main(int argc, char *argv[])
 #endif
 
     printf("port init\n");
-    nimble_port_init();
+
+    ret = nimble_port_init();
+    if (ret != 0) {
+        printf(" Failed to init nimble %d \n", ret);
+	return ret;
+    }
 
     printf("hci init\n");
     ble_hci_sock_init();
diff --git a/porting/nimble/include/nimble/nimble_port.h b/porting/nimble/include/nimble/nimble_port.h
index 2ea3cd864..329281a03 100644
--- a/porting/nimble/include/nimble/nimble_port.h
+++ b/porting/nimble/include/nimble/nimble_port.h
@@ -35,8 +35,21 @@
 extern "C" {
 #endif
 
-void nimble_port_init(void);
-void nimble_port_deinit(void);
+/**
+* @brief nimble_port_init - Initialize controller and NimBLE host stack
+*
+* @return esp_err_t   - ESP_OK ( if success)
+*                       Error code in case of failure
+*/
+esp_err_t nimble_port_init(void);
+
+/**
+* @brief nimble_port_deinit - Deinitialize controller and NimBLE host stack
+*
+* @return esp_err_t   - ESP_OK ( if success)
+*                       Error code in case of failure
+*/
+esp_err_t nimble_port_deinit(void);
 
 void nimble_port_run(void);
 int nimble_port_stop(void);
diff --git a/porting/nimble/src/nimble_port.c b/porting/nimble/src/nimble_port.c
index e0ff201cb..402a77782 100644
--- a/porting/nimble/src/nimble_port.c
+++ b/porting/nimble/src/nimble_port.c
@@ -136,47 +136,76 @@ esp_err_t esp_nimble_deinit(void)
     return ESP_OK;
 }
 
-void
+/**
+ * @brief nimble_port_init - Initialize controller and NimBLE host stack
+ *
+ * @return esp_err_t
+ */
+esp_err_t
 nimble_port_init(void)
 {
+    esp_err_t ret;
+
 #if CONFIG_IDF_TARGET_ESP32
     esp_bt_controller_mem_release(ESP_BT_MODE_CLASSIC_BT);
 #endif
 #if CONFIG_BT_CONTROLLER_ENABLED
     esp_bt_controller_config_t config_opts = BT_CONTROLLER_INIT_CONFIG_DEFAULT();
-    if(esp_bt_controller_init(&config_opts) != ESP_OK) {
+
+    ret = esp_bt_controller_init(&config_opts);
+    if (ret != ESP_OK) {
         ESP_LOGE(NIMBLE_PORT_LOG_TAG, "controller init failed\n");
-        return;
+        return ret;
     }
-    if(esp_bt_controller_enable(ESP_BT_MODE_BLE) != ESP_OK) {
+
+    ret = esp_bt_controller_enable(ESP_BT_MODE_BLE);
+    if (ret != ESP_OK) {
         ESP_LOGE(NIMBLE_PORT_LOG_TAG, "controller enable failed\n");
-        return;
+        return ret;
     }
 #endif
 
-    if(esp_nimble_init() != 0) {
+    ret = esp_nimble_init();
+    if (ret != ESP_OK) {
         ESP_LOGE(NIMBLE_PORT_LOG_TAG, "nimble host init failed\n");
-        return;
+        return ret;
     }
+
+    return ESP_OK;
 }
 
-void
+/**
+ * @brief nimble_port_deinit - Deinitialize controller and NimBLE host stack
+ *
+ * @return esp_err_t
+ */
+
+esp_err_t
 nimble_port_deinit(void)
 {
-    if(esp_nimble_deinit() != 0) {
+    esp_err_t ret;
+
+    ret = esp_nimble_deinit();
+    if(ret != ESP_OK) {
         ESP_LOGE(NIMBLE_PORT_LOG_TAG, "nimble host deinit failed\n");
-        return;
+        return ret;
     }
+
 #if CONFIG_BT_CONTROLLER_ENABLED
-    if(esp_bt_controller_disable() != ESP_OK) {
+    ret = esp_bt_controller_disable();
+    if(ret != ESP_OK) {
         ESP_LOGE(NIMBLE_PORT_LOG_TAG, "controller disable failed\n");
-        return;
+        return ret;
     }
-    if(esp_bt_controller_deinit() != ESP_OK) {
+
+    ret = esp_bt_controller_deinit();
+    if(ret != ESP_OK) {
         ESP_LOGE(NIMBLE_PORT_LOG_TAG, "controller deinit failed\n");
-        return;
+        return ret;
     }
 #endif
+
+    return ESP_OK;
 }