diff --git a/drivers/net/ethernet/netronome/nfp/abm/main.c b/drivers/net/ethernet/netronome/nfp/abm/main.c
index 5d3df28c648f..ee6dbe4f8c42 100644
--- a/drivers/net/ethernet/netronome/nfp/abm/main.c
+++ b/drivers/net/ethernet/netronome/nfp/abm/main.c
@@ -407,22 +407,20 @@ nfp_abm_port_get_stats_count(struct nfp_app *app, struct nfp_port *port)
 	return alink->vnic->dp.num_r_vecs * 2;
 }
 
-static u8 *
-nfp_abm_port_get_stats_strings(struct nfp_app *app, struct nfp_port *port,
-			       u8 *data)
+static void nfp_abm_port_get_stats_strings(struct nfp_app *app,
+					   struct nfp_port *port, u8 **data)
 {
 	struct nfp_repr *repr = netdev_priv(port->netdev);
 	struct nfp_abm_link *alink;
 	unsigned int i;
 
 	if (port->type != NFP_PORT_PF_PORT)
-		return data;
+		return;
 	alink = repr->app_priv;
 	for (i = 0; i < alink->vnic->dp.num_r_vecs; i++) {
-		ethtool_sprintf(&data, "q%u_no_wait", i);
-		ethtool_sprintf(&data, "q%u_delayed", i);
+		ethtool_sprintf(data, "q%u_no_wait", i);
+		ethtool_sprintf(data, "q%u_delayed", i);
 	}
-	return data;
 }
 
 static int nfp_abm_fw_init_reset(struct nfp_abm *abm)
diff --git a/drivers/net/ethernet/netronome/nfp/nfp_app.c b/drivers/net/ethernet/netronome/nfp/nfp_app.c
index bb3f46c74f77..294181c7ebad 100644
--- a/drivers/net/ethernet/netronome/nfp/nfp_app.c
+++ b/drivers/net/ethernet/netronome/nfp/nfp_app.c
@@ -92,11 +92,11 @@ int nfp_app_port_get_stats_count(struct nfp_port *port)
 	return port->app->type->port_get_stats_count(port->app, port);
 }
 
-u8 *nfp_app_port_get_stats_strings(struct nfp_port *port, u8 *data)
+void nfp_app_port_get_stats_strings(struct nfp_port *port, u8 **data)
 {
 	if (!port || !port->app || !port->app->type->port_get_stats_strings)
-		return data;
-	return port->app->type->port_get_stats_strings(port->app, port, data);
+		return;
+	port->app->type->port_get_stats_strings(port->app, port, data);
 }
 
 struct sk_buff *
diff --git a/drivers/net/ethernet/netronome/nfp/nfp_app.h b/drivers/net/ethernet/netronome/nfp/nfp_app.h
index 90707346a4ef..fc4dbcc8c7e1 100644
--- a/drivers/net/ethernet/netronome/nfp/nfp_app.h
+++ b/drivers/net/ethernet/netronome/nfp/nfp_app.h
@@ -116,8 +116,8 @@ struct nfp_app_type {
 	u64 *(*port_get_stats)(struct nfp_app *app,
 			       struct nfp_port *port, u64 *data);
 	int (*port_get_stats_count)(struct nfp_app *app, struct nfp_port *port);
-	u8 *(*port_get_stats_strings)(struct nfp_app *app,
-				      struct nfp_port *port, u8 *data);
+	void (*port_get_stats_strings)(struct nfp_app *app,
+				       struct nfp_port *port, u8 **data);
 
 	int (*start)(struct nfp_app *app);
 	void (*stop)(struct nfp_app *app);
@@ -421,7 +421,7 @@ struct nfp_app *nfp_app_from_netdev(struct net_device *netdev);
 
 u64 *nfp_app_port_get_stats(struct nfp_port *port, u64 *data);
 int nfp_app_port_get_stats_count(struct nfp_port *port);
-u8 *nfp_app_port_get_stats_strings(struct nfp_port *port, u8 *data);
+void nfp_app_port_get_stats_strings(struct nfp_port *port, u8 **data);
 
 struct nfp_reprs *
 nfp_reprs_get_locked(struct nfp_app *app, enum nfp_repr_type type);
diff --git a/drivers/net/ethernet/netronome/nfp/nfp_net_ethtool.c b/drivers/net/ethernet/netronome/nfp/nfp_net_ethtool.c
index fbca8d0efd85..6dfaaca737e2 100644
--- a/drivers/net/ethernet/netronome/nfp/nfp_net_ethtool.c
+++ b/drivers/net/ethernet/netronome/nfp/nfp_net_ethtool.c
@@ -848,37 +848,35 @@ static unsigned int nfp_vnic_get_sw_stats_count(struct net_device *netdev)
 		NN_CTRL_PATH_STATS;
 }
 
-static u8 *nfp_vnic_get_sw_stats_strings(struct net_device *netdev, u8 *data)
+static void nfp_vnic_get_sw_stats_strings(struct net_device *netdev, u8 **data)
 {
 	struct nfp_net *nn = netdev_priv(netdev);
 	int i;
 
 	for (i = 0; i < nn->max_r_vecs; i++) {
-		ethtool_sprintf(&data, "rvec_%u_rx_pkts", i);
-		ethtool_sprintf(&data, "rvec_%u_tx_pkts", i);
-		ethtool_sprintf(&data, "rvec_%u_tx_busy", i);
-	}
-
-	ethtool_puts(&data, "hw_rx_csum_ok");
-	ethtool_puts(&data, "hw_rx_csum_inner_ok");
-	ethtool_puts(&data, "hw_rx_csum_complete");
-	ethtool_puts(&data, "hw_rx_csum_err");
-	ethtool_puts(&data, "rx_replace_buf_alloc_fail");
-	ethtool_puts(&data, "rx_tls_decrypted_packets");
-	ethtool_puts(&data, "hw_tx_csum");
-	ethtool_puts(&data, "hw_tx_inner_csum");
-	ethtool_puts(&data, "tx_gather");
-	ethtool_puts(&data, "tx_lso");
-	ethtool_puts(&data, "tx_tls_encrypted_packets");
-	ethtool_puts(&data, "tx_tls_ooo");
-	ethtool_puts(&data, "tx_tls_drop_no_sync_data");
-
-	ethtool_puts(&data, "hw_tls_no_space");
-	ethtool_puts(&data, "rx_tls_resync_req_ok");
-	ethtool_puts(&data, "rx_tls_resync_req_ign");
-	ethtool_puts(&data, "rx_tls_resync_sent");
-
-	return data;
+		ethtool_sprintf(data, "rvec_%u_rx_pkts", i);
+		ethtool_sprintf(data, "rvec_%u_tx_pkts", i);
+		ethtool_sprintf(data, "rvec_%u_tx_busy", i);
+	}
+
+	ethtool_puts(data, "hw_rx_csum_ok");
+	ethtool_puts(data, "hw_rx_csum_inner_ok");
+	ethtool_puts(data, "hw_rx_csum_complete");
+	ethtool_puts(data, "hw_rx_csum_err");
+	ethtool_puts(data, "rx_replace_buf_alloc_fail");
+	ethtool_puts(data, "rx_tls_decrypted_packets");
+	ethtool_puts(data, "hw_tx_csum");
+	ethtool_puts(data, "hw_tx_inner_csum");
+	ethtool_puts(data, "tx_gather");
+	ethtool_puts(data, "tx_lso");
+	ethtool_puts(data, "tx_tls_encrypted_packets");
+	ethtool_puts(data, "tx_tls_ooo");
+	ethtool_puts(data, "tx_tls_drop_no_sync_data");
+
+	ethtool_puts(data, "hw_tls_no_space");
+	ethtool_puts(data, "rx_tls_resync_req_ok");
+	ethtool_puts(data, "rx_tls_resync_req_ign");
+	ethtool_puts(data, "rx_tls_resync_sent");
 }
 
 static u64 *nfp_vnic_get_sw_stats(struct net_device *netdev, u64 *data)
@@ -937,8 +935,8 @@ static unsigned int nfp_vnic_get_hw_stats_count(unsigned int num_vecs)
 	return NN_ET_GLOBAL_STATS_LEN + num_vecs * 4;
 }
 
-static u8 *
-nfp_vnic_get_hw_stats_strings(u8 *data, unsigned int num_vecs, bool repr)
+static void nfp_vnic_get_hw_stats_strings(u8 **data, unsigned int num_vecs,
+					  bool repr)
 {
 	int swap_off, i;
 
@@ -950,22 +948,20 @@ nfp_vnic_get_hw_stats_strings(u8 *data, unsigned int num_vecs, bool repr)
 	swap_off = repr * NN_ET_SWITCH_STATS_LEN;
 
 	for (i = 0; i < NN_ET_SWITCH_STATS_LEN; i++)
-		ethtool_puts(&data, nfp_net_et_stats[i + swap_off].name);
+		ethtool_puts(data, nfp_net_et_stats[i + swap_off].name);
 
 	for (i = NN_ET_SWITCH_STATS_LEN; i < NN_ET_SWITCH_STATS_LEN * 2; i++)
-		ethtool_puts(&data, nfp_net_et_stats[i - swap_off].name);
+		ethtool_puts(data, nfp_net_et_stats[i - swap_off].name);
 
 	for (i = NN_ET_SWITCH_STATS_LEN * 2; i < NN_ET_GLOBAL_STATS_LEN; i++)
-		ethtool_puts(&data, nfp_net_et_stats[i].name);
+		ethtool_puts(data, nfp_net_et_stats[i].name);
 
 	for (i = 0; i < num_vecs; i++) {
-		ethtool_sprintf(&data, "rxq_%u_pkts", i);
-		ethtool_sprintf(&data, "rxq_%u_bytes", i);
-		ethtool_sprintf(&data, "txq_%u_pkts", i);
-		ethtool_sprintf(&data, "txq_%u_bytes", i);
+		ethtool_sprintf(data, "rxq_%u_pkts", i);
+		ethtool_sprintf(data, "rxq_%u_bytes", i);
+		ethtool_sprintf(data, "txq_%u_pkts", i);
+		ethtool_sprintf(data, "txq_%u_bytes", i);
 	}
-
-	return data;
 }
 
 static u64 *
@@ -991,7 +987,7 @@ static unsigned int nfp_vnic_get_tlv_stats_count(struct nfp_net *nn)
 	return nn->tlv_caps.vnic_stats_cnt + nn->max_r_vecs * 4;
 }
 
-static u8 *nfp_vnic_get_tlv_stats_strings(struct nfp_net *nn, u8 *data)
+static void nfp_vnic_get_tlv_stats_strings(struct nfp_net *nn, u8 **data)
 {
 	unsigned int i, id;
 	u8 __iomem *mem;
@@ -1006,22 +1002,18 @@ static u8 *nfp_vnic_get_tlv_stats_strings(struct nfp_net *nn, u8 *data)
 		id_word >>= 16;
 
 		if (id < ARRAY_SIZE(nfp_tlv_stat_names) &&
-		    nfp_tlv_stat_names[id][0]) {
-			memcpy(data, nfp_tlv_stat_names[id], ETH_GSTRING_LEN);
-			data += ETH_GSTRING_LEN;
-		} else {
-			ethtool_sprintf(&data, "dev_unknown_stat%u", id);
-		}
+		    nfp_tlv_stat_names[id][0])
+			ethtool_puts(data, nfp_tlv_stat_names[id]);
+		else
+			ethtool_sprintf(data, "dev_unknown_stat%u", id);
 	}
 
 	for (i = 0; i < nn->max_r_vecs; i++) {
-		ethtool_sprintf(&data, "rxq_%u_pkts", i);
-		ethtool_sprintf(&data, "rxq_%u_bytes", i);
-		ethtool_sprintf(&data, "txq_%u_pkts", i);
-		ethtool_sprintf(&data, "txq_%u_bytes", i);
+		ethtool_sprintf(data, "rxq_%u_pkts", i);
+		ethtool_sprintf(data, "rxq_%u_bytes", i);
+		ethtool_sprintf(data, "txq_%u_pkts", i);
+		ethtool_sprintf(data, "txq_%u_bytes", i);
 	}
-
-	return data;
 }
 
 static u64 *nfp_vnic_get_tlv_stats(struct nfp_net *nn, u64 *data)
@@ -1056,19 +1048,17 @@ static unsigned int nfp_mac_get_stats_count(struct net_device *netdev)
 	return ARRAY_SIZE(nfp_mac_et_stats);
 }
 
-static u8 *nfp_mac_get_stats_strings(struct net_device *netdev, u8 *data)
+static void nfp_mac_get_stats_strings(struct net_device *netdev, u8 **data)
 {
 	struct nfp_port *port;
 	unsigned int i;
 
 	port = nfp_port_from_netdev(netdev);
 	if (!__nfp_port_get_eth_port(port) || !port->eth_stats)
-		return data;
+		return;
 
 	for (i = 0; i < ARRAY_SIZE(nfp_mac_et_stats); i++)
-		ethtool_sprintf(&data, "mac.%s", nfp_mac_et_stats[i].name);
-
-	return data;
+		ethtool_sprintf(data, "mac.%s", nfp_mac_et_stats[i].name);
 }
 
 static u64 *nfp_mac_get_stats(struct net_device *netdev, u64 *data)
@@ -1093,15 +1083,14 @@ static void nfp_net_get_strings(struct net_device *netdev,
 
 	switch (stringset) {
 	case ETH_SS_STATS:
-		data = nfp_vnic_get_sw_stats_strings(netdev, data);
+		nfp_vnic_get_sw_stats_strings(netdev, &data);
 		if (!nn->tlv_caps.vnic_stats_off)
-			data = nfp_vnic_get_hw_stats_strings(data,
-							     nn->max_r_vecs,
-							     false);
+			nfp_vnic_get_hw_stats_strings(&data, nn->max_r_vecs,
+						      false);
 		else
-			data = nfp_vnic_get_tlv_stats_strings(nn, data);
-		data = nfp_mac_get_stats_strings(netdev, data);
-		data = nfp_app_port_get_stats_strings(nn->port, data);
+			nfp_vnic_get_tlv_stats_strings(nn, &data);
+		nfp_mac_get_stats_strings(netdev, &data);
+		nfp_app_port_get_stats_strings(nn->port, &data);
 		break;
 	case ETH_SS_TEST:
 		nfp_get_self_test_strings(netdev, data);
@@ -1155,10 +1144,10 @@ static void nfp_port_get_strings(struct net_device *netdev,
 	switch (stringset) {
 	case ETH_SS_STATS:
 		if (nfp_port_is_vnic(port))
-			data = nfp_vnic_get_hw_stats_strings(data, 0, true);
+			nfp_vnic_get_hw_stats_strings(&data, 0, true);
 		else
-			data = nfp_mac_get_stats_strings(netdev, data);
-		data = nfp_app_port_get_stats_strings(port, data);
+			nfp_mac_get_stats_strings(netdev, &data);
+		nfp_app_port_get_stats_strings(port, &data);
 		break;
 	case ETH_SS_TEST:
 		nfp_get_self_test_strings(netdev, data);
