diff --git a/core/vdbe/sorter.rs b/core/vdbe/sorter.rs
index f27b57f54..52771e5b5 100644
--- a/core/vdbe/sorter.rs
+++ b/core/vdbe/sorter.rs
@@ -155,7 +155,7 @@ impl Sorter {
                 SortedChunkIOState::WriteComplete => {
                     all_read_complete = false;
                     // Write complete, we can now read from the chunk.
-                    chunk.read()?;
+                    let _c = chunk.read()?;
                 }
                 SortedChunkIOState::WaitingForWrite | SortedChunkIOState::WaitingForRead => {
                     all_read_complete = false;
@@ -249,7 +249,7 @@ impl Sorter {
             .min_chunk_read_buffer_size
             .max(self.max_payload_size_in_buffer + 9);
         let mut chunk = SortedChunk::new(chunk_file.clone(), chunk_buffer_size);
-        chunk.write(&mut self.records)?;
+        let _c = chunk.write(&mut self.records)?;
         self.chunks.push(chunk);
 
         self.current_buffer_size = 0;
@@ -346,19 +346,16 @@ impl SortedChunk {
         let record = self.records.pop();
         if self.records.is_empty() && self.io_state.get() != SortedChunkIOState::ReadEOF {
             // We've consumed the last record. Read more payload into the buffer.
-            self.read()?;
+            if self.chunk_size - self.total_bytes_read.get() == 0 {
+                self.io_state.set(SortedChunkIOState::ReadEOF);
+            } else {
+                let _c = self.read()?;
+            }
         }
         Ok(record)
     }
 
-    fn read(&mut self) -> Result<()> {
-        if self.io_state.get() == SortedChunkIOState::ReadEOF {
-            return Ok(());
-        }
-        if self.chunk_size - self.total_bytes_read.get() == 0 {
-            self.io_state.set(SortedChunkIOState::ReadEOF);
-            return Ok(());
-        }
+    fn read(&mut self) -> Result<Completion> {
         self.io_state.set(SortedChunkIOState::WaitingForRead);
 
         let read_buffer_size = self.buffer.borrow().len() - self.buffer_len.get();
@@ -395,11 +392,11 @@ impl SortedChunk {
         });
 
         let c = Completion::new_read(read_buffer_ref, read_complete);
-        let _c = self.file.pread(self.total_bytes_read.get(), c)?;
-        Ok(())
+        let c = self.file.pread(self.total_bytes_read.get(), c)?;
+        Ok(c)
     }
 
-    fn write(&mut self, records: &mut Vec<SortableImmutableRecord>) -> Result<()> {
+    fn write(&mut self, records: &mut Vec<SortableImmutableRecord>) -> Result<Completion> {
         assert!(self.io_state.get() == SortedChunkIOState::None);
         self.io_state.set(SortedChunkIOState::WaitingForWrite);
         self.chunk_size = 0;
@@ -440,8 +437,8 @@ impl SortedChunk {
         });
 
         let c = Completion::new_write(write_complete);
-        let _c = self.file.pwrite(0, buffer_ref, c)?;
-        Ok(())
+        let c = self.file.pwrite(0, buffer_ref, c)?;
+        Ok(c)
     }
 }