diff --git a/lib/path.c b/lib/path.c
index cfc1c2372..602674956 100644
--- a/lib/path.c
+++ b/lib/path.c
@@ -1141,12 +1141,12 @@ int main(int argc, char *argv[])
 			errx(EXIT_FAILURE, "<file> not defined");
 		file = argv[optind++];
 
-		if (ul_path_read_string(pc, &res, file) != 0)
-			err(EXIT_FAILURE, "read u64 failed");
+		if (ul_path_read_string(pc, &res, file) < 0)
+			err(EXIT_FAILURE, "read string failed");
 		printf("read:  %s: %s\n", file, res);
 
-		if (ul_path_readf_string(pc, &res, "%s", file) != 0)
-			err(EXIT_FAILURE, "readf u64 failed");
+		if (ul_path_readf_string(pc, &res, "%s", file) < 0)
+			err(EXIT_FAILURE, "readf string failed");
 		printf("readf: %s: %s\n", file, res);
 
 	} else if (strcmp(command, "read-link") == 0) {
diff --git a/misc-utils/lsblk.c b/misc-utils/lsblk.c
index a6c78a268..815ba1d71 100644
--- a/misc-utils/lsblk.c
+++ b/misc-utils/lsblk.c
@@ -716,7 +716,7 @@ static char *get_type(struct blkdev_cxt *cxt)
 
 		/* The DM_UUID prefix should be set to subsystem owning
 		 * the device - LVM, CRYPT, DMRAID, MPATH, PART */
-		if (ul_path_read_string(cxt->sysfs, &dm_uuid, "dm/uuid") == 0
+		if (ul_path_read_string(cxt->sysfs, &dm_uuid, "dm/uuid") > 0
 		    && dm_uuid) {
 			char *tmp = dm_uuid;
 			char *dm_uuid_prefix = strsep(&tmp, "-");