diff --git a/fs/ext3/inode.c b/fs/ext3/inode.c
index c5ee9f0691e3..0f0b1eadb98d 100644
--- a/fs/ext3/inode.c
+++ b/fs/ext3/inode.c
@@ -1009,11 +1009,14 @@ struct buffer_head *ext3_getblk(handle_t *handle, struct inode *inode,
 	buffer_trace_init(&dummy.b_history);
 	err = ext3_get_blocks_handle(handle, inode, block, 1,
 					&dummy, create, 1);
-	if (err == 1) {
+	/*
+	 * ext3_get_blocks_handle() returns number of blocks
+	 * mapped. 0 in case of a HOLE.
+	 */
+	if (err > 0) {
+		if (err > 1)
+			WARN_ON(1);
 		err = 0;
-	} else if (err >= 0) {
-		WARN_ON(1);
-		err = -EIO;
 	}
 	*errp = err;
 	if (!err && buffer_mapped(&dummy)) {