diff --git a/fs/cachefiles/ondemand.c b/fs/cachefiles/ondemand.c
index 1fee702d5529..7e1586bd5cf3 100644
--- a/fs/cachefiles/ondemand.c
+++ b/fs/cachefiles/ondemand.c
@@ -158,9 +158,13 @@ int cachefiles_ondemand_copen(struct cachefiles_cache *cache, char *args)
 
 	/* fail OPEN request if daemon reports an error */
 	if (size < 0) {
-		if (!IS_ERR_VALUE(size))
-			size = -EINVAL;
-		req->error = size;
+		if (!IS_ERR_VALUE(size)) {
+			req->error = -EINVAL;
+			ret = -EINVAL;
+		} else {
+			req->error = size;
+			ret = 0;
+		}
 		goto out;
 	}