diff --git a/lib/unlink-recursive.c b/lib/unlink-recursive.c
index 8f7812f85..78dc01593 100644
--- a/lib/unlink-recursive.c
+++ b/lib/unlink-recursive.c
@@ -53,5 +53,5 @@ int unlink_recursive(const char *path, char **failedpath)
 	if (!ret && failedpath)
 		*failedpath = unlink_recursive_failedpath;
 
-	return ret ? 0 : errno;
+	return ret ? 0 : -errno;
 }