diff --git a/src/sysupdate/sysupdate-transfer.c b/src/sysupdate/sysupdate-transfer.c
index 27756298fa2..bb984915926 100644
--- a/src/sysupdate/sysupdate-transfer.c
+++ b/src/sysupdate/sysupdate-transfer.c
@@ -1343,7 +1343,7 @@ int transfer_acquire_instance(Transfer *t, Instance *i, InstanceMetadata *f, Tra
                  * download. */
 
                 if (!i->metadata.sha256sum_set)
-                        return log_error_errno(r, "SHA256 checksum not known for download '%s', refusing.", i->path);
+                        return log_error_errno(SYNTHETIC_ERRNO(EINVAL), "SHA256 checksum not known for download '%s', refusing.", i->path);
 
                 digest = hexmem(i->metadata.sha256sum, sizeof(i->metadata.sha256sum));
                 if (!digest)