diff --git a/x-pack/plugin/ccr/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/xpack/ccr/action/TransportPutFollowAction.java b/x-pack/plugin/ccr/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/xpack/ccr/action/TransportPutFollowAction.java
index 709cb41806ae4..5c1a8324f7caf 100644
--- a/x-pack/plugin/ccr/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/xpack/ccr/action/TransportPutFollowAction.java
+++ b/x-pack/plugin/ccr/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/xpack/ccr/action/TransportPutFollowAction.java
@@ -133,6 +133,7 @@ private void createFollowerIndex(
         if (leaderIndexMetaData.getSettings().getAsBoolean(IndexSettings.INDEX_SOFT_DELETES_SETTING.getKey(), false) == false) {
             listener.onFailure(
                 new IllegalArgumentException("leader index [" + request.getLeaderIndex() + "] does not have soft deletes enabled"));
+            return;
         }
 
         ActionListener<Boolean> handler = ActionListener.wrap(