diff --git a/engines/http.c b/engines/http.c
index 001479b055..99f4e119a4 100644
--- a/engines/http.c
+++ b/engines/http.c
@@ -711,7 +711,7 @@ static enum fio_q_status fio_http_queue(struct thread_data *td,
 	log_err("WARNING: Only DDIR_READ/DDIR_WRITE/DDIR_TRIM are supported!\n");
 
 err:
-	io_u->error = -1;
+	io_u->error = EIO;
 	td_verror(td, io_u->error, "transfer");
 out:
 	curl_slist_free_all(slist);