diff --git a/scripts/get_maintainer.pl b/scripts/get_maintainer.pl
index 49a00d54b835..aed4511f0304 100755
--- a/scripts/get_maintainer.pl
+++ b/scripts/get_maintainer.pl
@@ -2136,9 +2136,11 @@ sub vcs_file_exists {
 
     my $cmd = $VCS_cmds{"file_exists_cmd"};
     $cmd =~ s/(\$\w+)/$1/eeg;		# interpolate $cmd
-
+    $cmd .= " 2>&1";
     $exists = &{$VCS_cmds{"execute_cmd"}}($cmd);
 
+    return 0 if ($? != 0);
+
     return $exists;
 }