diff --git a/fsl/data/freesurfer.py b/fsl/data/freesurfer.py
index b8980b89bb43d38c4cf47ed6c0f2144aad28cf88..d96dc8edd33448dbecdd9bcd1396f89faef61d91 100644
--- a/fsl/data/freesurfer.py
+++ b/fsl/data/freesurfer.py
@@ -416,7 +416,6 @@ def findReferenceImage(fname):
     exts    = fslimage.ALLOWED_EXTENSIONS + fslmgh.ALLOWED_EXTENSIONS
 
     try:
-
-        fslpath.addExt(t1, allowedExts=exts, mustExist=True)
+        return fslpath.addExt(t1, allowedExts=exts, mustExist=True)
     except fslpath.PathError:
         return None