diff --git a/builtin/diff-files.c b/builtin/diff-files.c
index 50330b8dd2..2e3e948583 100644
--- a/builtin/diff-files.c
+++ b/builtin/diff-files.c
@@ -80,14 +80,10 @@ int cmd_diff_files(int argc, const char **argv, const char *prefix)
 	    (rev.diffopt.output_format & DIFF_FORMAT_PATCH))
 		diff_merges_set_dense_combined_if_unset(&rev);
 
-	if (repo_read_index_preload(the_repository, &rev.diffopt.pathspec, 0) < 0) {
-		perror("repo_read_index_preload");
-		result = -1;
-		goto cleanup;
-	}
+	if (repo_read_index_preload(the_repository, &rev.diffopt.pathspec, 0) < 0)
+		die_errno("repo_read_index_preload");
 	result = run_diff_files(&rev, options);
 	result = diff_result_code(&rev.diffopt, result);
-cleanup:
 	release_revisions(&rev);
 	return result;
 }