diff --git a/strbuf.c b/strbuf.c
index 1df674e919..5f138ed3c8 100644
--- a/strbuf.c
+++ b/strbuf.c
@@ -612,14 +612,18 @@ ssize_t strbuf_read_file(struct strbuf *sb, const char *path, size_t hint)
 {
 	int fd;
 	ssize_t len;
+	int saved_errno;
 
 	fd = open(path, O_RDONLY);
 	if (fd < 0)
 		return -1;
 	len = strbuf_read(sb, fd, hint);
+	saved_errno = errno;
 	close(fd);
-	if (len < 0)
+	if (len < 0) {
+		errno = saved_errno;
 		return -1;
+	}
 
 	return len;
 }