diff --git a/opticsmon/ethtool.c b/opticsmon/ethtool.c
index a448eb25..ac1a07fb 100644
--- a/opticsmon/ethtool.c
+++ b/opticsmon/ethtool.c
@@ -56,13 +56,13 @@ int ethtool_nl_connect(struct ethtool_nl_ctx *ctx)
 	sk = nl_socket_alloc();
 	if (!sk) {
 		nl_perror(NLE_NOMEM, "alloc");
-		return EXIT_FAILURE;
+		return -ENOMEM;
 	}
 
 	rc = genl_connect(sk);
 	if (rc) {
 		nl_perror(rc, "connect");
-		rc = EXIT_FAILURE;
+		rc = -EIO;
 		goto err_free;
 	}
 
@@ -72,7 +72,7 @@ int ethtool_nl_connect(struct ethtool_nl_ctx *ctx)
 			fprintf(stderr, "Ethtool netlink family not found\n");
 		else
 			nl_perror(ethtool_id, "ctrl resolve");
-		rc = EXIT_FAILURE;
+		rc = -EIO;
 		goto err_close;
 	}
 	ctx->sk = sk;
diff --git a/opticsmon/opticsmon.c b/opticsmon/opticsmon.c
index 6d7595b1..c50275d4 100644
--- a/opticsmon/opticsmon.c
+++ b/opticsmon/opticsmon.c
@@ -398,7 +398,9 @@ int main(int argc, char **argv)
 	int ret;
 
 	parse_cmdline(argc, argv, &ctx.opts);
-	ethtool_nl_connect(&ctx.ethtool_ctx);
+	ret = ethtool_nl_connect(&ctx.ethtool_ctx);
+	if (ret)
+		return ret;
 	if (ctx.opts.monitor)
 		ret = monitor_mode(&ctx);
 	else