diff --git a/src/list.c b/src/list.c
index 59c614f..62c571c 100644
--- a/src/list.c
+++ b/src/list.c
@@ -1961,6 +1961,9 @@
     int		save_did_emsg;
     int		idx = 0;
 
+    // Always return the first argument, also on failure.
+    copy_tv(&argvars[0], rettv);
+
     if (argvars[0].v_type == VAR_BLOB)
     {
 	if ((b = argvars[0].vval.v_blob) == NULL)
@@ -2110,8 +2113,6 @@
 
 	did_emsg |= save_did_emsg;
     }
-
-    copy_tv(&argvars[0], rettv);
 }
 
 /*