diff --git a/sys/fs/nfsserver/nfs_nfsdstate.c b/sys/fs/nfsserver/nfs_nfsdstate.c
index 4f6ce379408f..baf42eb4f99f 100644
--- a/sys/fs/nfsserver/nfs_nfsdstate.c
+++ b/sys/fs/nfsserver/nfs_nfsdstate.c
@@ -6002,7 +6002,7 @@ nfsrv_freesession(struct nfsdsession *sep, uint8_t *sessionid)
 		if (sep->sess_refcnt > 0) {
 			NFSUNLOCKSESSION(shp);
 			NFSUNLOCKSTATE();
-			return (0);
+			return (NFSERR_BACKCHANBUSY);
 		}
 		LIST_REMOVE(sep, sess_hash);
 		LIST_REMOVE(sep, sess_list);