diff --git a/src/file.cpp b/src/file.cpp
index 0b5911cab..9748c63e6 100644
--- a/src/file.cpp
+++ b/src/file.cpp
@@ -1468,6 +1468,7 @@ namespace libtorrent
 				if (!NT_SUCCESS(st)) 
 				{
 					ec.assign(INVALID_SET_FILE_POINTER, get_system_category());
+					return -1;
 				}
 			}
 		}