diff --git a/cmd/deletefile/deletefile.go b/cmd/deletefile/deletefile.go
index 4bf4ad72d..6311b3ddf 100644
--- a/cmd/deletefile/deletefile.go
+++ b/cmd/deletefile/deletefile.go
@@ -6,6 +6,7 @@ import (
 	"fmt"
 
 	"github.com/rclone/rclone/cmd"
+	"github.com/rclone/rclone/fs"
 	"github.com/rclone/rclone/fs/operations"
 	"github.com/spf13/cobra"
 )
@@ -27,12 +28,12 @@ it will always be removed.
 	},
 	Run: func(command *cobra.Command, args []string) {
 		cmd.CheckArgs(1, 1, command, args)
-		fs, fileName := cmd.NewFsFile(args[0])
+		f, fileName := cmd.NewFsFile(args[0])
 		cmd.Run(true, false, command, func() error {
 			if fileName == "" {
-				return fmt.Errorf("%s is a directory or doesn't exist", args[0])
+				return fmt.Errorf("%s is a directory or doesn't exist: %w", args[0], fs.ErrorObjectNotFound)
 			}
-			fileObj, err := fs.NewObject(context.Background(), fileName)
+			fileObj, err := f.NewObject(context.Background(), fileName)
 			if err != nil {
 				return err
 			}