diff --git a/src/vos/vos_iterator.c b/src/vos/vos_iterator.c
index 30baae492e5..24a544a17dd 100644
--- a/src/vos/vos_iterator.c
+++ b/src/vos/vos_iterator.c
@@ -789,9 +789,9 @@ vos_iter_cb(vos_iter_cb_t iter_cb, daos_handle_t ih, vos_iter_entry_t *iter_ent,
 	do {										\
 		switch (rc) {								\
 		case ITER_ABORT:							\
-			(rc) = 0;							\
 			/* fallthrough */						\
 		case ITER_EXIT:								\
+			(rc) = 0;							\
 			goto abort_label;						\
 		case ITER_NEXT:								\
 			goto next_label;						\