diff --git a/common/image-fit.c b/common/image-fit.c
index 28b3d2b191..94501b1071 100644
--- a/common/image-fit.c
+++ b/common/image-fit.c
@@ -1651,7 +1651,7 @@ int fit_check_format(const void *fit, ulong size)
 		/* mandatory / node 'timestamp' property */
 		if (!fdt_getprop(fit, 0, FIT_TIMESTAMP_PROP, NULL)) {
 			log_debug("Wrong FIT format: no timestamp\n");
-			return -ENODATA;
+			return -EBADMSG;
 		}
 	}
 
diff --git a/include/image.h b/include/image.h
index 138c83dd28..b4b284d52b 100644
--- a/include/image.h
+++ b/include/image.h
@@ -1158,7 +1158,7 @@ int fit_image_check_comp(const void *fit, int noffset, uint8_t comp);
  * @fit: pointer to the FIT format image header
  * @return 0 if OK, -ENOEXEC if not an FDT file, -EINVAL if the full FDT check
  *	failed (e.g. due to bad structure), -ENOMSG if the description is
- *	missing, -ENODATA if the timestamp is missing, -ENOENT if the /images
+ *	missing, -EBADMSG if the timestamp is missing, -ENOENT if the /images
  *	path is missing
  */
 int fit_check_format(const void *fit, ulong size);