diff --git a/src/unix/stream.c b/src/unix/stream.c
index 86a179b35..f0590299e 100644
--- a/src/unix/stream.c
+++ b/src/unix/stream.c
@@ -1264,12 +1264,15 @@ static void uv__stream_connect(uv_stream_t* stream) {
   } else {
     /* Normal situation: we need to get the socket error from the kernel. */
     assert(uv__stream_fd(stream) >= 0);
-    getsockopt(uv__stream_fd(stream),
-               SOL_SOCKET,
-               SO_ERROR,
-               &error,
-               &errorsize);
-    error = UV__ERR(error);
+    if (getsockopt(uv__stream_fd(stream),
+                   SOL_SOCKET,
+                   SO_ERROR,
+                   &error,
+                   &errorsize)) {
+      error = UV__ERR(errno);
+    } else {
+      error = UV__ERR(error);
+    }
   }
 
   if (error == UV__ERR(EINPROGRESS))