diff --git a/cmd/zdb/zdb.c b/cmd/zdb/zdb.c
index 4e57538d22..f424dd771f 100644
--- a/cmd/zdb/zdb.c
+++ b/cmd/zdb/zdb.c
@@ -2995,7 +2995,7 @@ open_objset(const char *path, void *tag, objset_t **osp)
 	}
 	sa_os = *osp;
 
-	return (0);
+	return (err);
 }
 
 static void