diff --git a/drivers/md/dm-snap-persistent.c b/drivers/md/dm-snap-persistent.c
index 0c746420c00..7e855fbeb22 100644
--- a/drivers/md/dm-snap-persistent.c
+++ b/drivers/md/dm-snap-persistent.c
@@ -552,35 +552,31 @@ static int persistent_read_metadata(struct dm_exception_store *store,
 		ps->current_area = 0;
 		zero_memory_area(ps);
 		r = zero_disk_area(ps, 0);
-		if (r) {
-			DMWARN("zero_disk_area(0) failed");
-			return r;
-		}
-	} else {
-		/*
-		 * Sanity checks.
-		 */
-		if (ps->version != SNAPSHOT_DISK_VERSION) {
-			DMWARN("unable to handle snapshot disk version %d",
-			       ps->version);
-			return -EINVAL;
-		}
-
-		/*
-		 * Metadata are valid, but snapshot is invalidated
-		 */
-		if (!ps->valid)
-			return 1;
-
-		/*
-		 * Read the metadata.
-		 */
-		r = read_exceptions(ps, callback, callback_context);
 		if (r)
-			return r;
+			DMWARN("zero_disk_area(0) failed");
+		return r;
+	}
+	/*
+	 * Sanity checks.
+	 */
+	if (ps->version != SNAPSHOT_DISK_VERSION) {
+		DMWARN("unable to handle snapshot disk version %d",
+		       ps->version);
+		return -EINVAL;
 	}
 
-	return 0;
+	/*
+	 * Metadata are valid, but snapshot is invalidated
+	 */
+	if (!ps->valid)
+		return 1;
+
+	/*
+	 * Read the metadata.
+	 */
+	r = read_exceptions(ps, callback, callback_context);
+
+	return r;
 }
 
 static int persistent_prepare_exception(struct dm_exception_store *store,