diff --git a/unpack-trees.c b/unpack-trees.c
index 3011d9b90..24227fc6c 100644
--- a/unpack-trees.c
+++ b/unpack-trees.c
@@ -1193,7 +1193,9 @@ static int verify_absent_1(struct cache_entry *ce,
 		char path[PATH_MAX + 1];
 		memcpy(path, ce->name, len);
 		path[len] = 0;
-		lstat(path, &st);
+		if (lstat(path, &st))
+			return error("cannot stat '%s': %s", path,
+					strerror(errno));
 
 		return check_ok_to_remove(path, len, DT_UNKNOWN, NULL, &st,
 				error_type, o);