diff --git a/merge-ort.c b/merge-ort.c
index 033c4348e2d2b6..5d36c04f509865 100644
--- a/merge-ort.c
+++ b/merge-ort.c
@@ -1819,6 +1819,7 @@ static int merge_submodule(struct merge_options *opt,
 			 _("Failed to merge submodule %s "
 			   "(repository corrupt)"),
 			 path);
+		ret = -1;
 		goto cleanup;
 	}
 	if (ret2 > 0)
@@ -1829,6 +1830,7 @@ static int merge_submodule(struct merge_options *opt,
 			 _("Failed to merge submodule %s "
 			   "(repository corrupt)"),
 			 path);
+		ret = -1;
 		goto cleanup;
 	}
 	if (!ret2) {
@@ -1848,6 +1850,7 @@ static int merge_submodule(struct merge_options *opt,
 			 _("Failed to merge submodule %s "
 			   "(repository corrupt)"),
 			 path);
+		ret = -1;
 		goto cleanup;
 	}
 	if (ret2 > 0) {
@@ -1866,6 +1869,7 @@ static int merge_submodule(struct merge_options *opt,
 			 _("Failed to merge submodule %s "
 			   "(repository corrupt)"),
 			 path);
+		ret = -1;
 		goto cleanup;
 	}
 	if (ret2 > 0) {
@@ -1899,6 +1903,7 @@ static int merge_submodule(struct merge_options *opt,
 			 _("Failed to merge submodule %s "
 			   "(repository corrupt)"),
 			 path);
+		ret = -1;
 		break;
 	case 0:
 		path_msg(opt, CONFLICT_SUBMODULE_FAILED_TO_MERGE, 0,
diff --git a/merge-recursive.c b/merge-recursive.c
index f3132a9ecaeb31..fc772c2b113c94 100644
--- a/merge-recursive.c
+++ b/merge-recursive.c
@@ -1246,12 +1246,14 @@ static int merge_submodule(struct merge_options *opt,
 	ret2 = repo_in_merge_bases(&subrepo, commit_base, commit_a);
 	if (ret2 < 0) {
 		output(opt, 1, _("Failed to merge submodule %s (repository corrupt)"), path);
+		ret = -1;
 		goto cleanup;
 	}
 	if (ret2 > 0)
 		ret2 = repo_in_merge_bases(&subrepo, commit_base, commit_b);
 	if (ret2 < 0) {
 		output(opt, 1, _("Failed to merge submodule %s (repository corrupt)"), path);
+		ret = -1;
 		goto cleanup;
 	}
 	if (!ret2) {
@@ -1263,6 +1265,7 @@ static int merge_submodule(struct merge_options *opt,
 	ret2 = repo_in_merge_bases(&subrepo, commit_a, commit_b);
 	if (ret2 < 0) {
 		output(opt, 1, _("Failed to merge submodule %s (repository corrupt)"), path);
+		ret = -1;
 		goto cleanup;
 	}
 	if (ret2) {
@@ -1281,6 +1284,7 @@ static int merge_submodule(struct merge_options *opt,
 	ret2 = repo_in_merge_bases(&subrepo, commit_b, commit_a);
 	if (ret2 < 0) {
 		output(opt, 1, _("Failed to merge submodule %s (repository corrupt)"), path);
+		ret = -1;
 		goto cleanup;
 	}
 	if (ret2) {
@@ -1312,6 +1316,10 @@ static int merge_submodule(struct merge_options *opt,
 	parent_count = find_first_merges(&subrepo, &merges, path,
 					 commit_a, commit_b);
 	switch (parent_count) {
+	case -1:
+		output(opt, 1,_("Failed to merge submodule %s (repository corrupt)"), path);
+		ret = -1;
+		break;
 	case 0:
 		output(opt, 1, _("Failed to merge submodule %s (merge following commits not found)"), path);
 		break;