diff --git a/fs/hfsplus/bnode.c b/fs/hfsplus/bnode.c
index 191661af9677..250a226336ea 100644
--- a/fs/hfsplus/bnode.c
+++ b/fs/hfsplus/bnode.c
@@ -629,7 +629,7 @@ struct hfs_bnode *hfs_bnode_create(struct hfs_btree *tree, u32 num)
 	if (node) {
 		pr_crit("new node %u already hashed?\n", num);
 		WARN_ON(1);
-		return node;
+		return ERR_PTR(-EEXIST);
 	}
 	node = __hfs_bnode_create(tree, num);
 	if (!node)