diff --git a/usr.sbin/pw/rm_r.c b/usr.sbin/pw/rm_r.c
index 172c7b0..d02e208 100644
--- a/usr.sbin/pw/rm_r.c
+++ b/usr.sbin/pw/rm_r.c
@@ -50,6 +50,9 @@ rm_r(int rootfd, const char *path, uid_t uid)
 		path++;
 
 	dirfd = openat(rootfd, path, O_DIRECTORY);
+	if (dirfd<0) {
+		return;
+	}
 
 	d = fdopendir(dirfd);
 	while ((e = readdir(d)) != NULL) {