diff --git a/fs/xfs/xfs_file.c b/fs/xfs/xfs_file.c
index 595a5bcf46b9..8de40cf63a5b 100644
--- a/fs/xfs/xfs_file.c
+++ b/fs/xfs/xfs_file.c
@@ -1161,6 +1161,14 @@ out_unlock:
 	xfs_iunlock2_io_mmap(src, dest);
 	if (ret)
 		trace_xfs_reflink_remap_range_error(dest, ret, _RET_IP_);
+	/*
+	 * If the caller did not set CAN_SHORTEN, then it is not prepared to
+	 * handle partial results -- either the whole remap succeeds, or we
+	 * must say why it did not.  In this case, any error should be returned
+	 * to the caller.
+	 */
+	if (ret && remapped < len && !(remap_flags & REMAP_FILE_CAN_SHORTEN))
+		return ret;
 	return remapped > 0 ? remapped : ret;
 }