diff --git a/qemu-coroutine-io.c b/qemu-coroutine-io.c
index d404926..28dc735 100644
--- a/qemu-coroutine-io.c
+++ b/qemu-coroutine-io.c
@@ -45,7 +45,7 @@
             if (err == EAGAIN || err == EWOULDBLOCK) {
                 qemu_coroutine_yield();
             } else if (done == 0) {
-                return -1;
+                return -err;
             } else {
                 break;
             }