diff --git a/sbin/ipfw/tables.c b/sbin/ipfw/tables.c
index 9aad4d959c7a..89bc36375d87 100644
--- a/sbin/ipfw/tables.c
+++ b/sbin/ipfw/tables.c
@@ -885,6 +885,8 @@ table_do_modify_record(int cmd, ipfw_obj_header *oh,
 
 	sz += sizeof(*oh);
 	error = do_get3(cmd, &oh->opheader, &sz);
+	if (error != 0)
+		error = errno;
 	tent = (ipfw_obj_tentry *)(ctlv + 1);
 	/* Copy result back to provided buffer */
 	memcpy(tent_base, ctlv + 1, sizeof(*tent) * count);