diff --git a/servers/slapd/schema_init.c b/servers/slapd/schema_init.c
index 103533d6f3..5e41856b58 100644
--- a/servers/slapd/schema_init.c
+++ b/servers/slapd/schema_init.c
@@ -2122,7 +2122,9 @@ printablesStringValidate(
 		}
 	}
 
-	if( len == 0 ) LDAP_INVALID_SYNTAX;
+	if( len == 0 ) {
+		return LDAP_INVALID_SYNTAX;
+	}
 
 	return LDAP_SUCCESS;
 }