diff --git a/sys/fs/nfsclient/nfs_clvnops.c b/sys/fs/nfsclient/nfs_clvnops.c
index 549a5cfb7c3..38b1c3b5928 100644
--- a/sys/fs/nfsclient/nfs_clvnops.c
+++ b/sys/fs/nfsclient/nfs_clvnops.c
@@ -1181,7 +1181,6 @@ nfs_lookup(struct vop_lookup_args *ap)
 		cache_purge_negative(dvp);
 	}
 
-	error = 0;
 	newvp = NULLVP;
 	NFSINCRGLOBAL(nfsstatsv1.lookupcache_misses);
 	error = nfsrpc_lookup(dvp, cnp->cn_nameptr, cnp->cn_namelen,