diff --git a/weed/filer/filer.go b/weed/filer/filer.go
index cc7f6a336..36273afff 100644
--- a/weed/filer/filer.go
+++ b/weed/filer/filer.go
@@ -355,16 +355,16 @@ func (f *Filer) FindEntry(ctx context.Context, p util.FullPath) (entry *Entry, e
 			if entry.GetS3ExpireTime().Before(time.Now()) && !entry.IsS3Versioning() {
 				if delErr := f.doDeleteEntryMetaAndData(ctx, entry, true, false, nil); delErr != nil {
 					glog.ErrorfCtx(ctx, "FindEntry doDeleteEntryMetaAndData %s failed: %v", entry.FullPath, delErr)
-					// Deletion failed - return entry as still existing rather than claiming it's gone
-					return entry, nil
+					// Return error to prevent serving expired content (safer than returning the entry)
+					return nil, fmt.Errorf("failed to delete expired entry %s: %w", entry.FullPath, delErr)
 				}
 				return nil, filer_pb.ErrNotFound
 			}
 		} else if entry.Crtime.Add(time.Duration(entry.TtlSec) * time.Second).Before(time.Now()) {
 			if delErr := f.Store.DeleteOneEntry(ctx, entry); delErr != nil {
 				glog.ErrorfCtx(ctx, "FindEntry DeleteOneEntry %s failed: %v", entry.FullPath, delErr)
-				// Deletion failed - return entry as still existing rather than claiming it's gone
-				return entry, nil
+				// Return error to prevent serving expired content (safer than returning the entry)
+				return nil, fmt.Errorf("failed to delete expired entry %s: %w", entry.FullPath, delErr)
 			}
 			return nil, filer_pb.ErrNotFound
 		}