diff --git a/mixing/mixclient/blame.go b/mixing/mixclient/blame.go
index 3bdb44a51..6143bee9b 100644
--- a/mixing/mixclient/blame.go
+++ b/mixing/mixclient/blame.go
@@ -20,6 +20,8 @@ import (
 	"github.com/decred/dcrd/wire"
 )
 
+var errBlameFailed = errors.New("blame failed")
+
 // blamedIdentities identifies detected misbehaving peers.
 //
 // If a run returns a blamedIdentities error, these peers are immediately
@@ -140,7 +142,11 @@ func (c *Client) blame(ctx context.Context, sesRun *sessionRun) (err error) {
 			sesRun.logf("blaming %x for false failure accusation", id[:])
 			blamed = append(blamed, *id)
 		}
-		err = blamed
+		if len(blamed) > 0 {
+			err = blamed
+		} else {
+			err = errBlamedFailed
+		}
 	}()
 
 	defer c.mu.Unlock()
diff --git a/mixing/mixclient/client.go b/mixing/mixclient/client.go
index 9f174650b..bdc6fb73a 100644
--- a/mixing/mixclient/client.go
+++ b/mixing/mixclient/client.go
@@ -75,7 +75,7 @@ const (
 	msgRS
 )
 
-func blameTimedOut(sesRun *sessionRun, timeoutMessage int) blamedIdentities {
+func blameTimedOut(sesRun *sessionRun, timeoutMessage int) error {
 	var blamed blamedIdentities
 	var stage string
 	for _, p := range sesRun.peers {
@@ -102,8 +102,11 @@ func blameTimedOut(sesRun *sessionRun, timeoutMessage int) blamedIdentities {
 			}
 		}
 	}
-	sesRun.logf("blaming %x during run (%s timeout)", []identity(blamed), stage)
-	return blamed
+	if len(blamed) > 0 {
+		sesRun.logf("blaming %x during run (%s timeout)", []identity(blamed), stage)
+		return blamed
+	}
+	return errBlameFailed
 }
 
 // Wallet signs mix transactions and listens for and broadcasts mixing