diff --git a/builtin/apply.c b/builtin/apply.c
index 3145e03940..5cd7fd8223 100644
--- a/builtin/apply.c
+++ b/builtin/apply.c
@@ -4198,32 +4198,36 @@ static int try_create_file(const char *path, unsigned int mode, const char *buf,
  * We optimistically assume that the directories exist,
  * which is true 99% of the time anyway. If they don't,
  * we create them and try again.
+ *
+ * Returns:
+ *   -1 on error
+ *   0 otherwise
  */
-static void create_one_file(struct apply_state *state,
-			    char *path,
-			    unsigned mode,
-			    const char *buf,
-			    unsigned long size)
+static int create_one_file(struct apply_state *state,
+			   char *path,
+			   unsigned mode,
+			   const char *buf,
+			   unsigned long size)
 {
 	int res;
 
 	if (state->cached)
-		return;
+		return 0;
 
 	res = try_create_file(path, mode, buf, size);
 	if (res < 0)
-		exit(128);
+		return -1;
 	if (!res)
-		return;
+		return 0;
 
 	if (errno == ENOENT) {
 		if (safe_create_leading_directories(path))
-			return;
+			return 0;
 		res = try_create_file(path, mode, buf, size);
 		if (res < 0)
-			exit(128);
+			return -1;
 		if (!res)
-			return;
+			return 0;
 	}
 
 	if (errno == EEXIST || errno == EACCES) {
@@ -4243,10 +4247,10 @@ static void create_one_file(struct apply_state *state,
 			mksnpath(newpath, sizeof(newpath), "%s~%u", path, nr);
 			res = try_create_file(newpath, mode, buf, size);
 			if (res < 0)
-				exit(128);
+				return -1;
 			if (!res) {
 				if (!rename(newpath, path))
-					return;
+					return 0;
 				unlink_or_warn(newpath);
 				break;
 			}
@@ -4255,7 +4259,8 @@ static void create_one_file(struct apply_state *state,
 			++nr;
 		}
 	}
-	die_errno(_("unable to write file '%s' mode %o"), path, mode);
+	return error_errno(_("unable to write file '%s' mode %o"),
+			   path, mode);
 }
 
 static int add_conflicted_stages_file(struct apply_state *state,
@@ -4300,7 +4305,8 @@ static int create_file(struct apply_state *state, struct patch *patch)
 
 	if (!mode)
 		mode = S_IFREG | 0644;
-	create_one_file(state, path, mode, buf, size);
+	if (create_one_file(state, path, mode, buf, size))
+		return -1;
 
 	if (patch->conflicted_threeway)
 		return add_conflicted_stages_file(state, patch);