diff --git a/boot/bootutil/src/image_validate.c b/boot/bootutil/src/image_validate.c
index e8a3cc2..fd4f4ce 100644
--- a/boot/bootutil/src/image_validate.c
+++ b/boot/bootutil/src/image_validate.c
@@ -247,7 +247,7 @@
 
     rc = boot_retrieve_public_key_hash(image_index, key_hash, &key_hash_size);
     if (rc) {
-        return rc;
+        return -1;
     }
 
     /* Adding hardening to avoid this potential attack: