diff --git a/engines/io_uring.c b/engines/io_uring.c
index 5e086914e5..6c07c1011c 100644
--- a/engines/io_uring.c
+++ b/engines/io_uring.c
@@ -589,7 +589,7 @@ static struct io_u *fio_ioring_cmd_event(struct thread_data *td, int event)
 		io_u_set(td, io_u, IO_U_F_DEVICE_ERROR);
 	else
 		io_u_clear(td, io_u, IO_U_F_DEVICE_ERROR);
-	io_u->error = abs(io_u->error);
+	io_u->error = io_u->error;
 	return io_u;
 }