diff --git a/libcxx/include/experimental/filesystem b/libcxx/include/experimental/filesystem
index a667c7395218..be7d23faee61 100644
--- a/libcxx/include/experimental/filesystem
+++ b/libcxx/include/experimental/filesystem
@@ -1393,7 +1393,9 @@ bool exists(const path& __p) {
 
 inline _LIBCPP_INLINE_VISIBILITY
 bool exists(const path& __p, error_code& __ec) _NOEXCEPT {
-    return exists(__status(__p, &__ec));
+    auto __s = __status(__p, &__ec);
+    if (status_known(__s)) __ec.clear();
+    return exists(__s);
 }
 
 inline _LIBCPP_INLINE_VISIBILITY
diff --git a/libcxx/test/std/experimental/filesystem/fs.op.funcs/fs.op.exists/exists.pass.cpp b/libcxx/test/std/experimental/filesystem/fs.op.funcs/fs.op.exists/exists.pass.cpp
index 460b8be6b127..252ced6fd65f 100644
--- a/libcxx/test/std/experimental/filesystem/fs.op.funcs/fs.op.exists/exists.pass.cpp
+++ b/libcxx/test/std/experimental/filesystem/fs.op.funcs/fs.op.exists/exists.pass.cpp
@@ -65,6 +65,10 @@ TEST_CASE(test_exist_not_found)
 {
     const path p = StaticEnv::DNE;
     TEST_CHECK(exists(p) == false);
+
+    std::error_code ec = GetTestEC();
+    TEST_CHECK(exists(p, ec) == false);
+    TEST_CHECK(!ec);
 }
 
 TEST_CASE(test_exists_fails)