diff --git a/lib/fdtdec.c b/lib/fdtdec.c
index 18663ce6bda..3510de78e13 100644
--- a/lib/fdtdec.c
+++ b/lib/fdtdec.c
@@ -980,7 +980,7 @@ static int decode_timing_property(const void *blob, int node, const char *name,
 	if (!prop) {
 		debug("%s: could not find property %s\n",
 		      fdt_get_name(blob, node, NULL), name);
-		return length;
+		return -ENOENT;
 	}
 
 	if (length == sizeof(u32)) {