diff --git a/cmd/restic/cmd_backup.go b/cmd/restic/cmd_backup.go
index 203c2beac..1259050e5 100644
--- a/cmd/restic/cmd_backup.go
+++ b/cmd/restic/cmd_backup.go
@@ -185,7 +185,7 @@ func (cmd CmdBackup) Execute(args []string) error {
 
 	_, id, err := arch.Snapshot(target, newTree, parentSnapshotID)
 	if err != nil {
-		fmt.Fprintf(os.Stderr, "error: %v\n", err)
+		return err
 	}
 
 	plen, err := s.PrefixLength(backend.Snapshot)