diff --git a/cmd/mkinitfs/main.go b/cmd/mkinitfs/main.go
index 2e88895..afac0df 100644
--- a/cmd/mkinitfs/main.go
+++ b/cmd/mkinitfs/main.go
@@ -152,10 +152,7 @@ func generateArchive(name string, format archive.CompressFormat, level archive.C
 	log.Printf("- Using compression format %s with level %q\n", format, level)
 
 	defer misc.TimeFunc(time.Now(), name)
-	a, err := archive.New(format, level)
-	if err != nil {
-		return err
-	}
+	a := archive.New(format, level)
 
 	fs := initramfs.New(features)
 	if err := a.AddItems(fs); err != nil {
diff --git a/internal/archive/archive.go b/internal/archive/archive.go
index 14d92ac..3ab3086 100644
--- a/internal/archive/archive.go
+++ b/internal/archive/archive.go
@@ -51,7 +51,7 @@ type Archive struct {
 	items           archiveItems
 }
 
-func New(format CompressFormat, level CompressLevel) (*Archive, error) {
+func New(format CompressFormat, level CompressLevel) *Archive {
 	buf := new(bytes.Buffer)
 	archive := &Archive{
 		cpioWriter:      cpio.NewWriter(buf),
@@ -60,7 +60,7 @@ func New(format CompressFormat, level CompressLevel) (*Archive, error) {
 		compress_level:  level,
 	}
 
-	return archive, nil
+	return archive
 }
 
 type archiveItem struct {