diff --git a/src/libsystemd/sd-device/sd-device.c b/src/libsystemd/sd-device/sd-device.c
index 4c05dd3f7b3..d9ea9852e36 100644
--- a/src/libsystemd/sd-device/sd-device.c
+++ b/src/libsystemd/sd-device/sd-device.c
@@ -1893,10 +1893,11 @@ _public_ int sd_device_get_sysattr_value(sd_device *device, const char *sysattr,
                 return r;
 
         path = prefix_roota(syspath, sysattr);
-        r = lstat(path, &statbuf);
-        if (r < 0) {
+        if (lstat(path, &statbuf) < 0) {
                 int k;
 
+                r = -errno;
+
                 /* remember that we could not access the sysattr */
                 k = device_cache_sysattr_value(device, sysattr, NULL);
                 if (k < 0)