diff --git a/src/rpc/virnetclient.c b/src/rpc/virnetclient.c
index ded1e12615..dc0ce5107b 100644
--- a/src/rpc/virnetclient.c
+++ b/src/rpc/virnetclient.c
@@ -1090,10 +1090,15 @@ static int virNetClientIO(virNetClientPtr client,
      */
     virNetSocketUpdateIOCallback(client->sock, 0);
 
+    virResetLastError();
     rv = virNetClientIOEventLoop(client, thiscall);
 
     virNetSocketUpdateIOCallback(client->sock, VIR_EVENT_HANDLE_READABLE);
 
+    if (rv == 0 &&
+        virGetLastError())
+        rv = -1;
+
 cleanup:
     VIR_DEBUG("All done with our call %p %p %d", client->waitDispatch, thiscall, rv);
     return rv;