diff --git a/lustre/ptlrpc/import.c b/lustre/ptlrpc/import.c
index 52f3587f3f0c96a0906c99587f099929e7100dcf..af772e7e7c0fa7c12030cc6769f4d62a8bf587e4 100644
--- a/lustre/ptlrpc/import.c
+++ b/lustre/ptlrpc/import.c
@@ -643,7 +643,7 @@ int ptlrpc_import_recovery_state_machine(struct obd_import *imp)
                                    CLONE_VM | CLONE_FILES);
                 if (rc < 0)
                         CERROR("error starting invalidate thread: %d\n", rc);
-                RETURN(rc);
+                RETURN(rc < 0 ? rc : 0);
 #else
                 ptlrpc_invalidate_import(imp, 1);