diff --git a/changelog/unreleased/decomposedfs-check-error.md b/changelog/unreleased/decomposedfs-check-error.md
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..964a9f5a05
--- /dev/null
+++ b/changelog/unreleased/decomposedfs-check-error.md
@@ -0,0 +1,6 @@
+Bugfix: add missing error check in decomposedfs
+
+During space creation the decomposedfs now checks for errors when trying to read the root node. This prevents a panic by no longer calling InternalPath on the node.
+
+https://github.com/cs3org/reva/pull/3430
+https://github.com/owncloud/ocis/issues/4961
diff --git a/pkg/storage/utils/decomposedfs/spaces.go b/pkg/storage/utils/decomposedfs/spaces.go
index aaadd67c3f..fcf9ca7508 100644
--- a/pkg/storage/utils/decomposedfs/spaces.go
+++ b/pkg/storage/utils/decomposedfs/spaces.go
@@ -83,11 +83,12 @@ func (fs *Decomposedfs) CreateStorageSpace(ctx context.Context, req *provider.Cr
 	}
 
 	root, err := node.ReadNode(ctx, fs.lu, spaceID, spaceID, true) // will fall into `Exists` case below
-	if err == nil && root.Exists {
+	switch {
+	case err != nil:
+		return nil, err
+	case root.Exists:
 		return nil, errtypes.AlreadyExists("decomposedfs: spaces: space already exists")
-	}
-
-	if !fs.canCreateSpace(ctx, spaceID) {
+	case !fs.canCreateSpace(ctx, spaceID):
 		return nil, errtypes.PermissionDenied(spaceID)
 	}