diff --git a/src/barebox-state/backend_bucket_direct.c b/src/barebox-state/backend_bucket_direct.c
index b72e8ad..4465ed0 100644
--- a/src/barebox-state/backend_bucket_direct.c
+++ b/src/barebox-state/backend_bucket_direct.c
@@ -156,7 +156,6 @@
 	fd = open(path, O_RDWR);
 	if (fd < 0) {
 		dev_err(dev, "Failed to open file '%s', %d\n", path, -errno);
-		close(fd);
 		return -errno;
 	}