diff --git a/contrib/pam_zfs_key/pam_zfs_key.c b/contrib/pam_zfs_key/pam_zfs_key.c
index 8c59fc7eb7..e3fa9e9b25 100644
--- a/contrib/pam_zfs_key/pam_zfs_key.c
+++ b/contrib/pam_zfs_key/pam_zfs_key.c
@@ -754,7 +754,10 @@ pam_sm_open_session(pam_handle_t *pamh, int flags,
 		return (PAM_SUCCESS);
 	}
 	zfs_key_config_t config;
-	zfs_key_config_load(pamh, &config, argc, argv);
+	if (zfs_key_config_load(pamh, &config, argc, argv) != 0) {
+		return (PAM_SESSION_ERR);
+	}
+
 	if (config.uid < 1000) {
 		zfs_key_config_free(&config);
 		return (PAM_SUCCESS);