diff --git a/repos/os/src/server/vfs/main.cc b/repos/os/src/server/vfs/main.cc
index e3b3ad7b2f..8674229827 100644
--- a/repos/os/src/server/vfs/main.cc
+++ b/repos/os/src/server/vfs/main.cc
@@ -515,7 +515,7 @@ class Vfs_server::Session_component : public File_system::Session_rpc_object,
 				Directory_service::Stat vfs_stat;
 
 				if (_vfs.stat(node.path(), vfs_stat) != Directory_service::STAT_OK)
-					return;
+					throw Invalid_handle();
 
 				fs_stat.inode = vfs_stat.inode;