diff --git a/fs/smb/client/readdir.c b/fs/smb/client/readdir.c
index 75929a0a56f9..8a7c34158d8a 100644
--- a/fs/smb/client/readdir.c
+++ b/fs/smb/client/readdir.c
@@ -756,11 +756,11 @@ find_cifs_entry(const unsigned int xid, struct cifs_tcon *tcon, loff_t pos,
 		rc = server->ops->query_dir_next(xid, tcon, &cfile->fid,
 						 search_flags,
 						 &cfile->srch_inf);
+		if (rc)
+			return -ENOENT;
 		/* FindFirst/Next set last_entry to NULL on malformed reply */
 		if (cfile->srch_inf.last_entry)
 			cifs_save_resume_key(cfile->srch_inf.last_entry, cfile);
-		if (rc)
-			return -ENOENT;
 	}
 	if (index_to_find < cfile->srch_inf.index_of_last_entry) {
 		/* we found the buffer that contains the entry */