diff --git a/bin/rm/rm.c b/bin/rm/rm.c
index 976b4eeb57c2..46807b9e4e58 100644
--- a/bin/rm/rm.c
+++ b/bin/rm/rm.c
@@ -335,7 +335,7 @@ rm_tree(char **argv)
 		warn("%s", p->fts_path);
 		eval = 1;
 	}
-	if (errno)
+	if (!fflag && errno)
 		err(1, "fts_read");
 	fts_close(fts);
 }