diff --git a/src/util.c b/src/util.c
index 156d32a2e0..b291e2f729 100644
--- a/src/util.c
+++ b/src/util.c
@@ -230,11 +230,12 @@ int close_nointr(int fd) {
         for (;;) {
                 int r;
 
-                if ((r = close(fd)) >= 0)
+                r = close(fd);
+                if (r >= 0)
                         return r;
 
                 if (errno != EINTR)
-                        return r;
+                        return -errno;
         }
 }