diff --git a/sys/kern/kern_exec.c b/sys/kern/kern_exec.c
--- a/sys/kern/kern_exec.c
+++ b/sys/kern/kern_exec.c
@@ -1952,6 +1952,7 @@
 	size_t chunk_len;
 	int error;
 
+	error = 0;
 	while (len > 0) {
 		chunk_len = MIN(len, CORE_BUF_SIZE);
 
@@ -1997,6 +1998,7 @@
 	if (cp->comp != NULL)
 		return (compress_chunk(cp, base, tmpbuf, len));
 
+	error = 0;
 	map = &cp->td->td_proc->p_vmspace->vm_map;
 	for (; len > 0; base += runlen, offset += runlen, len -= runlen) {
 		/*