diff --git a/scripts/copyright.pl b/scripts/copyright.pl
index 878f228c26..50ff98ad8f 100755
--- a/scripts/copyright.pl
+++ b/scripts/copyright.pl
@@ -126,7 +126,7 @@ sub checkfile {
         }
         # this means the file couldn't open - it might not exist, consider
         # that fine
-        return 0;
+        return 1;
     }
 
     my $commityear = undef;