diff --git a/include/libnetlink.h b/include/libnetlink.h
index bd0267df..c43ab0a2 100644
--- a/include/libnetlink.h
+++ b/include/libnetlink.h
@@ -21,6 +21,7 @@ struct rtnl_handle {
 	int			proto;
 	FILE		       *dump_fp;
 #define RTNL_HANDLE_F_LISTEN_ALL_NSID		0x01
+#define RTNL_HANDLE_F_SUPPRESS_NLERR		0x02
 	int			flags;
 };
 
diff --git a/lib/libnetlink.c b/lib/libnetlink.c
index 9303b668..5b75b2db 100644
--- a/lib/libnetlink.c
+++ b/lib/libnetlink.c
@@ -299,7 +299,8 @@ static void rtnl_dump_error(const struct rtnl_handle *rth,
 		     errno == EOPNOTSUPP))
 			return;
 
-		perror("RTNETLINK answers");
+		if (!(rth->flags & RTNL_HANDLE_F_SUPPRESS_NLERR))
+			perror("RTNETLINK answers");
 	}
 }