diff --git a/main/pbx.c b/main/pbx.c
index 39d083f472..75134505bc 100644
--- a/main/pbx.c
+++ b/main/pbx.c
@@ -6548,6 +6548,7 @@ int ast_load_documentation(void)
 
 	if (!(cfg = ast_config_load2("asterisk.conf", "" /* core can't reload */, cnfflags))) {
 		ast_log(LOG_ERROR, "No asterisk.conf? That cannot be good.\n");
+		return 1;
 	}
 
 	for (var = ast_variable_browse(cfg, "options"); var; var = var->next) {