diff --git a/src/libsystemd/sd-event/sd-event.c b/src/libsystemd/sd-event/sd-event.c
index 3a9d934aa..7917ab934 100644
--- a/src/libsystemd/sd-event/sd-event.c
+++ b/src/libsystemd/sd-event/sd-event.c
@@ -779,7 +779,7 @@ _public_ int sd_event_add_io(
         r = source_io_register(s, s->enabled, events);
         if (r < 0) {
                 source_free(s);
-                return -errno;
+                return r;
         }
 
         if (ret)
@@ -1060,7 +1060,7 @@ _public_ int sd_event_add_child(
                 r = event_update_signal_fd(e);
                 if (r < 0) {
                         source_free(s);
-                        return -errno;
+                        return r;
                 }
         }