diff --git a/src/misc.c b/src/misc.c
index 116eb967..3a23aa4d 100644
--- a/src/misc.c
+++ b/src/misc.c
@@ -750,9 +750,13 @@ file_removed_diag (const char *name, bool top_level,
 		   void (*diagfn) (char const *name))
 {
   if (!top_level && errno == ENOENT)
-    WARNOPT (WARN_FILE_REMOVED,
-	     (0, 0, _("%s: File removed before we read it"),
-	      quotearg_colon (name)));
+    {
+      WARNOPT (WARN_FILE_REMOVED,
+	       (0, 0, _("%s: File removed before we read it"),
+		quotearg_colon (name)));
+      if (exit_status == TAREXIT_SUCCESS)
+	exit_status = TAREXIT_DIFFERS;
+    }      
   else
     diagfn (name);
 }