diff --git a/fs/bcachefs/data_update.c b/fs/bcachefs/data_update.c
index 65176d51b502..004894ad4147 100644
--- a/fs/bcachefs/data_update.c
+++ b/fs/bcachefs/data_update.c
@@ -337,6 +337,7 @@ static int __bch2_data_update_index_update(struct btree_trans *trans,
 			printbuf_exit(&buf);
 
 			bch2_fatal_error(c);
+			ret = -EIO;
 			goto out;
 		}