diff --git a/libs/ardour/route.cc b/libs/ardour/route.cc
index 62d97c79d3..65f4531ac8 100644
--- a/libs/ardour/route.cc
+++ b/libs/ardour/route.cc
@@ -4130,7 +4130,8 @@ Route::save_as_template (const string& path, const string& name)
 	IO::set_name_in_state (*node.children().front(), name);
 
 	tree.set_root (&node);
-	return tree.write (path.c_str());
+	/* return zero on success, non-zero otherwise */
+	return !tree.write (path.c_str());
 }