diff --git a/ipc/msg.c b/ipc/msg.c
index bd60d7e159e8..9f29d9e89bac 100644
--- a/ipc/msg.c
+++ b/ipc/msg.c
@@ -839,7 +839,7 @@ static inline void free_copy(struct msg_msg *copy)
 
 static struct msg_msg *find_msg(struct msg_queue *msq, long *msgtyp, int mode)
 {
-	struct msg_msg *msg;
+	struct msg_msg *msg, *found = NULL;
 	long count = 0;
 
 	list_for_each_entry(msg, &msq->q_messages, m_list) {
@@ -848,6 +848,7 @@ static struct msg_msg *find_msg(struct msg_queue *msq, long *msgtyp, int mode)
 					       *msgtyp, mode)) {
 			if (mode == SEARCH_LESSEQUAL && msg->m_type != 1) {
 				*msgtyp = msg->m_type - 1;
+				found = msg;
 			} else if (mode == SEARCH_NUMBER) {
 				if (*msgtyp == count)
 					return msg;
@@ -857,7 +858,7 @@ static struct msg_msg *find_msg(struct msg_queue *msq, long *msgtyp, int mode)
 		}
 	}
 
-	return ERR_PTR(-EAGAIN);
+	return found ?: ERR_PTR(-EAGAIN);
 }
 
 long do_msgrcv(int msqid, void __user *buf, size_t bufsz, long msgtyp, int msgflg,