diff --git a/linux-user/strace.c b/linux-user/strace.c
index 9fa681dea9..7d882526da 100644
--- a/linux-user/strace.c
+++ b/linux-user/strace.c
@@ -689,7 +689,7 @@ print_syscall_err(abi_long ret)
     const char *errstr;
 
     qemu_log(" = ");
-    if (ret < 0) {
+    if (is_error(ret)) {
         errstr = target_strerror(-ret);
         if (errstr) {
             qemu_log("-1 errno=%d (%s)", (int)-ret, errstr);