diff --git a/src/storage/storage_backend_fs.c b/src/storage/storage_backend_fs.c
index b8f907aee1..0f8ceee549 100644
--- a/src/storage/storage_backend_fs.c
+++ b/src/storage/storage_backend_fs.c
@@ -128,7 +128,6 @@ virStorageBackendProbeTarget(virStorageSourcePtr target,
                 virReportError(VIR_ERR_INTERNAL_ERROR,
                                _("cannot probe backing volume format: %s"),
                                target->backingStore->path);
-                ret = -3;
             } else {
                 target->backingStore->format = rc;
             }