diff --git a/fs/hfs/inode.c b/fs/hfs/inode.c
index 2aef3c36a150..cce3a7bb95e9 100644
--- a/fs/hfs/inode.c
+++ b/fs/hfs/inode.c
@@ -663,7 +663,7 @@ int hfs_inode_setattr(struct mnt_idmap *idmap, struct dentry *dentry,
 	     ((S_ISDIR(inode->i_mode) &&
 	       (attr->ia_mode != inode->i_mode)) ||
 	      (attr->ia_mode & ~HFS_VALID_MODE_BITS)))) {
-		return hsb->s_quiet ? 0 : error;
+		return hsb->s_quiet ? 0 : -EPERM;
 	}
 
 	/* map file permissions to the closest allowable permissions in HFS */