diff --git a/fs/inode/fs_inodereserve.c b/fs/inode/fs_inodereserve.c
index 3082a523b97..1b3c970e7e1 100644
--- a/fs/inode/fs_inodereserve.c
+++ b/fs/inode/fs_inodereserve.c
@@ -53,6 +53,7 @@ static ino_t g_ino;
 static int inode_namelen(FAR const char *name)
 {
   FAR const char *tmp = name;
+
   while (*tmp && *tmp != '/')
     {
       tmp++;
@@ -210,13 +211,17 @@ int inode_reserve(FAR const char *path,
   SETUP_SEARCH(&desc, path, false);
 
   ret = inode_search(&desc);
-  if (ret >= 0)
+  if (ret != -ENOENT)
     {
       /* It is an error if the node already exists in the tree (or if it
        * lies within a mountpoint, we don't distinguish here).
        */
 
-      ret = -EEXIST;
+      if (ret >= 0)
+        {
+          ret = -EEXIST;
+        }
+
       goto errout_with_search;
     }
 
@@ -249,6 +254,7 @@ int inode_reserve(FAR const char *path,
        */
 
       FAR const char *nextname = inode_nextname(name);
+
       if (*nextname != '\0')
         {
           /* Insert an operationless node */