diff --git a/awscli/customizations/s3/s3handler.py b/awscli/customizations/s3/s3handler.py
index 84c42cd729f8..72b5c724395d 100644
--- a/awscli/customizations/s3/s3handler.py
+++ b/awscli/customizations/s3/s3handler.py
@@ -561,9 +561,10 @@ def _submit_transfer_request(self, fileinfo, extra_args, subscribers):
         except Exception as e:
             self._result_queue.put(
                 FailureResult(exception=e, **result_kwargs))
-        finally:
-            # Return True to indicate that the transfer was submitted
-            return True
+        # Return True to indicate that the transfer was submitted.
+        # This is returned regardless of success or failure since
+        # the transfer request was submitted and results were queued.
+        return True
 
     def _format_src_dest(self, fileinfo):
         return self._format_local_path(fileinfo.src), None