diff --git a/fs/smb/server/smb2pdu.c b/fs/smb/server/smb2pdu.c
index f737ba5cd82c..06197275956d 100644
--- a/fs/smb/server/smb2pdu.c
+++ b/fs/smb/server/smb2pdu.c
@@ -2640,7 +2640,13 @@ static noinline int create_smb2_pipe(struct ksmbd_work *work)
 out:
 	switch (err) {
 	case -EINVAL:
-		rsp->hdr.Status = STATUS_INVALID_PARAMETER;
+		/*
+		 * Unknown pipe name: return STATUS_OBJECT_NAME_NOT_FOUND so
+		 * macOS clients skip it gracefully. STATUS_INVALID_PARAMETER
+		 * causes macOS Time Machine to abort the backup immediately
+		 * (confirmed in ksmbd issue #502 / namjaejeon/ksmbd).
+		 */
+		rsp->hdr.Status = STATUS_OBJECT_NAME_NOT_FOUND;
 		break;
 	case -ENOSPC:
 	case -ENOMEM: