diff --git a/src/fsmagic.c b/src/fsmagic.c
index bf5f92a..8ad6958 100644
--- a/src/fsmagic.c
+++ b/src/fsmagic.c
@@ -367,7 +367,7 @@ file_fsmagic(struct magic_set *ms, const char *fn, struct stat *sb)
 		/*NOTREACHED*/
 	}
 
-	if (!mime && did) {
+	if (!mime && did && ret == 0) {
 	    if (file_printf(ms, " ") == -1)
 		    return -1;
 	}