diff --git a/libavformat/matroskaenc.c b/libavformat/matroskaenc.c
index 9ad590cb93..1c1ea71f59 100644
--- a/libavformat/matroskaenc.c
+++ b/libavformat/matroskaenc.c
@@ -605,17 +605,18 @@ static int put_xiph_codecpriv(AVFormatContext *s, AVIOContext *pb,
     const uint8_t *header_start[3];
     int header_len[3];
     int first_header_size;
-    int j;
+    int err, j;
 
     if (par->codec_id == AV_CODEC_ID_VORBIS)
         first_header_size = 30;
     else
         first_header_size = 42;
 
-    if (avpriv_split_xiph_headers(par->extradata, par->extradata_size,
-                              first_header_size, header_start, header_len) < 0) {
+    err = avpriv_split_xiph_headers(par->extradata, par->extradata_size,
+                                    first_header_size, header_start, header_len);
+    if (err < 0) {
         av_log(s, AV_LOG_ERROR, "Extradata corrupt.\n");
-        return -1;
+        return err;
     }
 
     avio_w8(pb, 2);                    // number packets - 1