diff --git a/src/fuse_chmod.cpp b/src/fuse_chmod.cpp
index 5a0d0b93..d438dce1 100644
--- a/src/fuse_chmod.cpp
+++ b/src/fuse_chmod.cpp
@@ -88,6 +88,8 @@ _chmod(const Policy::Action &actionFunc_,
   rv = searchFunc_(branches_,fusepath_,branches);
   if(rv < 0)
     return rv;
+  if(branches.empty())
+    return prv.errors[0].rv;
 
   return prv.get_error(branches[0]->path);
 }