diff --git a/src/fuse_create.cpp b/src/fuse_create.cpp
index 40cd0ea8..bc6935e4 100644
--- a/src/fuse_create.cpp
+++ b/src/fuse_create.cpp
@@ -224,6 +224,8 @@ _create(const ugid_t          ugid_,
   rv = searchFunc_(branches_,fusedirpath,existingpaths);
   if(rv < 0)
     return rv;
+  if(existingpaths.empty())
+    return -ENOENT;
 
   rv = createFunc_(branches_,fusedirpath,createpaths);
   if(rv < 0)