diff --git a/tools/perf/util/dso.c b/tools/perf/util/dso.c
index 79f1a30f3683..2309196d8df3 100644
--- a/tools/perf/util/dso.c
+++ b/tools/perf/util/dso.c
@@ -600,7 +600,13 @@ static char *dso__get_filename(struct dso *dso, const char *root_dir,
 		size_t len = sizeof(newpath);
 
 		if (dso__decompress_kmodule_path(dso, name, newpath, len) < 0) {
-			errno = *dso__load_errno(dso);
+			/*
+			 * Use a standard errno value, not the negative custom
+			 * DSO_LOAD_ERRNO stored in dso__load_errno(dso):
+			 * __open_dso() computes fd = -errno, so a negative
+			 * errno produces a positive fd that looks valid.
+			 */
+			errno = EIO;
 			goto out;
 		}