diff --git a/fs/bcachefs/super.c b/fs/bcachefs/super.c
index 654ccc611099..4c54ac64b0af 100644
--- a/fs/bcachefs/super.c
+++ b/fs/bcachefs/super.c
@@ -897,7 +897,8 @@ int bch2_fs_start(struct bch_fs *c)
 		break;
 	}
 
-	BUG_ON(!ret);
+	if (ret >= 0)
+		ret = -EIO;
 	goto out;
 }