diff --git a/lib/fs.js b/lib/fs.js
index 40f123e45de199..eb5f69c3990be2 100644
--- a/lib/fs.js
+++ b/lib/fs.js
@@ -49,8 +49,7 @@ function rethrow() {
       if (err) {
         backtrace.stack = err.name + ': ' + err.message +
                           backtrace.stack.substr(backtrace.name.length);
-        err = backtrace;
-        throw err;
+        throw backtrace;
       }
     };
   }