diff --git a/file_ops.c b/file_ops.c
index 2b811ccf69..51c0a0ec26 100644
--- a/file_ops.c
+++ b/file_ops.c
@@ -233,7 +233,7 @@ bool read_compressed_file(const char * path, void **buf,
  *
  * Returns: true if file read, false on error.
  */
-bool read_file(const char *path, void **buf, ssize_t *length)
+int read_file(const char *path, void **buf, ssize_t *length)
 {
 #ifdef HAVE_COMPRESSION
    /* Here we check, whether the file, we are about to read is
@@ -250,7 +250,7 @@ bool read_file(const char *path, void **buf, ssize_t *length)
          return true;
 #endif
    if (read_generic_file(path, buf, length))
-      return true;
+      return 1;
    *length = -1;
-   return false;
+   return 0;
 }
diff --git a/file_ops.h b/file_ops.h
index 50dcfa0641..d7badb2f75 100644
--- a/file_ops.h
+++ b/file_ops.h
@@ -49,7 +49,7 @@ bool read_compressed_file(const char * path, void **buf,
  *
  * Returns: true if file read, false on error.
  */
-bool read_file(const char *path, void **buf, ssize_t *length);
+int read_file(const char *path, void **buf, ssize_t *length);
 
 /**
  * write_file: