diff --git a/fs/jffs2/readinode.c b/fs/jffs2/readinode.c
index 1a80301..9c26738 100644
--- a/fs/jffs2/readinode.c
+++ b/fs/jffs2/readinode.c
@@ -1284,7 +1284,7 @@ static int jffs2_do_read_inode_internal(struct jffs2_sb_info *c,
 				f->target = NULL;
 				mutex_unlock(&f->sem);
 				jffs2_do_clear_inode(c, f);
-				return -ret;
+				return ret;
 			}
 
 			f->target[je32_to_cpu(latest_node->csize)] = '\0';