diff --git a/libcomposefs/lcfs-mount.c b/libcomposefs/lcfs-mount.c
index 5438b3e4..2a3427ae 100644
--- a/libcomposefs/lcfs-mount.c
+++ b/libcomposefs/lcfs-mount.c
@@ -416,11 +416,12 @@ static errint_t lcfs_mount_ovl(struct lcfs_mount_state_s *state, char *imagemoun
 	 */
 	res = syscall_fsconfig(fd_fs, FSCONFIG_SET_STRING, "lowerdir+",
 			       imagemount, 0);
-	/* EINVAL lack of support for appending as per above, fallback */
-	if (errno == EINVAL)
-		return -ENOSYS;
-	if (res < 0)
+	if (res < 0) {
+		/* EINVAL lack of support for appending as per above, fallback */
+		if (errno == EINVAL)
+			return -ENOSYS;
 		return -errno;
+	}
 
 	for (size_t i = 0; i < state->options->n_objdirs; i++) {
 		const char *objdir = state->options->objdirs[i];