return st.size;
 }
 
-static bool fw_read_file_contents(struct file *file, struct firmware_buf *fw_buf)
+static int fw_read_file_contents(struct file *file, struct firmware_buf *fw_buf)
 {
        long size;
        char *buf;
+       int rc;
 
        size = fw_file_size(file);
        if (size <= 0)
-               return false;
+               return -EINVAL;
        buf = vmalloc(size);
        if (!buf)
-               return false;
-       if (kernel_read(file, 0, buf, size) != size) {
+               return -ENOMEM;
+       rc = kernel_read(file, 0, buf, size);
+       if (rc != size) {
+               if (rc > 0)
+                       rc = -EIO;
                vfree(buf);
-               return false;
+               return rc;
        }
        fw_buf->data = buf;
        fw_buf->size = size;
-       return true;
+       return 0;
 }
 
-static bool fw_get_filesystem_firmware(struct device *device,
+static int fw_get_filesystem_firmware(struct device *device,
                                       struct firmware_buf *buf)
 {
        int i;
-       bool success = false;
+       int rc = -ENOENT;
        char *path = __getname();
 
        for (i = 0; i < ARRAY_SIZE(fw_path); i++) {
                file = filp_open(path, O_RDONLY, 0);
                if (IS_ERR(file))
                        continue;
-               success = fw_read_file_contents(file, buf);
+               rc = fw_read_file_contents(file, buf);
                fput(file);
-               if (success)
+               if (rc)
+                       dev_warn(device, "firmware, attempted to load %s, but failed with error %d\n",
+                               path, rc);
+               else
                        break;
        }
        __putname(path);
 
-       if (success) {
+       if (!rc) {
                dev_dbg(device, "firmware: direct-loading firmware %s\n",
                        buf->fw_id);
                mutex_lock(&fw_lock);
                mutex_unlock(&fw_lock);
        }
 
-       return success;
+       return rc;
 }
 
 /* firmware holds the ownership of pages */
                }
        }
 
-       if (!fw_get_filesystem_firmware(device, fw->priv))
+       ret = fw_get_filesystem_firmware(device, fw->priv);
+       if (ret) {
+               dev_warn(device, "Direct firmware load failed with error %d\n",
+                        ret);
+               dev_warn(device, "Falling back to user helper\n");
                ret = fw_load_from_user_helper(fw, name, device,
                                               uevent, nowait, timeout);
+       }
 
        /* don't cache firmware handled without uevent */
        if (!ret)