diff --git a/fs/lister.go b/fs/lister.go
index c9daf5838..a9fe4011e 100644
--- a/fs/lister.go
+++ b/fs/lister.go
@@ -20,6 +20,7 @@ type Lister struct {
 	finished sync.Once
 	level    int
 	filter   *Filter
+	err      error
 }
 
 // NewLister creates a Lister object.
@@ -154,6 +155,14 @@ func (o *Lister) AddDir(dir *Dir) (abort bool) {
 	return false
 }
 
+// Error returns a globally application error that's been set on the Lister
+// object.
+func (o *Lister) Error() error {
+	o.mu.RLock()
+	defer o.mu.RUnlock()
+	return o.err
+}
+
 // IncludeDirectory returns whether this directory should be
 // included in the listing (and recursed into or not).
 func (o *Lister) IncludeDirectory(remote string) bool {
@@ -168,11 +177,12 @@ func (o *Lister) IncludeDirectory(remote string) bool {
 // Multiple goroutines can set the error state concurrently,
 // but only the first will be returned to the caller.
 func (o *Lister) SetError(err error) {
-	o.mu.RLock()
+	o.mu.Lock()
 	if err != nil && !o.abort {
+		o.err = err
 		o.results <- listerResult{Err: err}
 	}
-	o.mu.RUnlock()
+	o.mu.Unlock()
 	o.Finished()
 }
 
diff --git a/fs/operations.go b/fs/operations.go
index 985420a01..bade42513 100644
--- a/fs/operations.go
+++ b/fs/operations.go
@@ -654,7 +654,10 @@ func ListFn(f Fs, fn func(Object)) error {
 			for {
 				o, err := list.GetObject()
 				if err != nil {
-					log.Fatal(err)
+					// The error will be persisted within the Lister object and
+					// we'll get an opportunity to return it as we leave this
+					// function.
+					return
 				}
 				// check if we are finished
 				if o == nil {
@@ -667,7 +670,7 @@ func ListFn(f Fs, fn func(Object)) error {
 		}()
 	}
 	wg.Wait()
-	return nil
+	return list.Error()
 }
 
 // mutex for synchronized output