diff --git a/engines/io_uring.c b/engines/io_uring.c
index 5ae3135bc7..c0cb5a78f7 100644
--- a/engines/io_uring.c
+++ b/engines/io_uring.c
@@ -468,10 +468,12 @@ static struct io_u *fio_ioring_cmd_event(struct thread_data *td, int event)
 	cqe = &ld->cq_ring.cqes[index];
 	io_u = (struct io_u *) (uintptr_t) cqe->user_data;
 
-	if (cqe->res != 0)
+	if (cqe->res != 0) {
 		io_u->error = -cqe->res;
-	else
+		return io_u;
+	} else {
 		io_u->error = 0;
+	}
 
 	if (o->cmd_type == FIO_URING_CMD_NVME) {
 		data = FILE_ENG_DATA(io_u->file);