diff --git a/fs/ext4/inline.c b/fs/ext4/inline.c
index 56f6e1782d5f..4572cb057951 100644
--- a/fs/ext4/inline.c
+++ b/fs/ext4/inline.c
@@ -1419,7 +1419,7 @@ 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++;