diff --git a/src/exclude.c b/src/exclude.c
index c9fb7f5..572335f 100644
--- a/src/exclude.c
+++ b/src/exclude.c
@@ -68,8 +68,9 @@ int exclude_addfile(char *file) {
     exclude_add(buf);
   }
 
+  len = ferror(f);
   fclose(f);
-  return 0;
+  return len;
 }