diff --git a/onnxruntime/core/providers/qnn/builder/qnn_backend_manager.h b/onnxruntime/core/providers/qnn/builder/qnn_backend_manager.h
index 7c8158a4e2..30aefa7d52 100644
--- a/onnxruntime/core/providers/qnn/builder/qnn_backend_manager.h
+++ b/onnxruntime/core/providers/qnn/builder/qnn_backend_manager.h
@@ -32,7 +32,7 @@ class QnnBackendManager {
   ~QnnBackendManager();
   char* DlError() {
 #ifdef _WIN32
-    return nullptr;
+    return "";
 #else
     return ::dlerror();
 #endif