diff --git a/dll/win32/browseui/CAutoComplete.cpp b/dll/win32/browseui/CAutoComplete.cpp
index fa0c24adb6b..8fe44e27977 100644
--- a/dll/win32/browseui/CAutoComplete.cpp
+++ b/dll/win32/browseui/CAutoComplete.cpp
@@ -1133,7 +1133,7 @@ CAutoComplete::Init(HWND hwndEdit, IUnknown *punkACL,
     if (m_hwndEdit || !punkACL)
     {
         ATLASSERT(0);
-        return E_INVALIDARG;
+        return E_FAIL;
     }
 
     // set this pointer to m_hwndEdit