diff --git a/block/qcow2.c b/block/qcow2.c
index 3bae2d837e754427afe8e1ceef795c41bec52b97..655799c6a0fa89dc03274d3b66d60175917963fd 100644
--- a/block/qcow2.c
+++ b/block/qcow2.c
@@ -300,7 +300,10 @@ static int qcow2_open(BlockDriverState *bs, int flags)
 
     if (!bs->read_only && s->autoclear_features != 0) {
         s->autoclear_features = 0;
-        qcow2_update_header(bs);
+        ret = qcow2_update_header(bs);
+        if (ret < 0) {
+            goto fail;
+        }
     }
 
     /* Check support for various header values */