diff --git a/lib/libnetlink.c b/lib/libnetlink.c
index f18dceac..a9932d42 100644
--- a/lib/libnetlink.c
+++ b/lib/libnetlink.c
@@ -656,6 +656,7 @@ static int __rtnl_talk_iov(struct rtnl_handle *rtnl, struct iovec *iov,
 
 			if (h->nlmsg_type == NLMSG_ERROR) {
 				struct nlmsgerr *err = (struct nlmsgerr *)NLMSG_DATA(h);
+				int error = err->error;
 
 				if (l < sizeof(struct nlmsgerr)) {
 					fprintf(stderr, "ERROR truncated\n");
@@ -679,7 +680,7 @@ static int __rtnl_talk_iov(struct rtnl_handle *rtnl, struct iovec *iov,
 				else
 					free(buf);
 
-				return err->error ? -i : 0;
+				return error ? -i : 0;
 			}
 
 			if (answer) {