diff --git a/fs/ext4/inline.c b/fs/ext4/inline.c
index 9a13f86fed62..4df4d31057b3 100644
--- a/fs/ext4/inline.c
+++ b/fs/ext4/inline.c
@@ -1417,7 +1417,7 @@ int htree_inlinedir_to_tree(struct file *dir_file,
 		err = ext4_htree_store_dirent(dir_file, hinfo->hash,
 					      hinfo->minor_hash, de, &tmp_str);
 		if (err) {
-			count = err;
+			ret = err;
 			goto out;
 		}
 		count++;