diff --git a/pkg/rke2/rke2_linux.go b/pkg/rke2/rke2_linux.go
index ab095ff9be..e6d0e06c36 100644
--- a/pkg/rke2/rke2_linux.go
+++ b/pkg/rke2/rke2_linux.go
@@ -515,7 +515,7 @@ func cleanupDataDir(dataDir string) error {
 	paths, err := getProcessExecutablePaths()
 	activePaths := []string{}
 	if err != nil {
-		return activePaths, err
+		return err
 	}
 	// Ensures only unique path within the data directory are
 	// captured within the array