diff --git a/src/fuse_utimens.cpp b/src/fuse_utimens.cpp
index 4aeabc3d..9d801068 100644
--- a/src/fuse_utimens.cpp
+++ b/src/fuse_utimens.cpp
@@ -87,6 +87,8 @@ _utimens(const Policy::Action &utimensPolicy_,
   rv = getattrPolicy_(branches_,fusepath_,branches);
   if(rv < 0)
     return rv;
+  if(branches.empty())
+    return -ENOENT;
 
   return prv.get_error(branches[0]->path);
 }