diff --git a/src/str_error.c b/src/str_error.c
index 00e48ac..b8064ee 100644
--- a/src/str_error.c
+++ b/src/str_error.c
@@ -11,7 +11,7 @@
  */
 char *libbpf_strerror_r(int err, char *dst, int len)
 {
-	int ret = strerror_r(err, dst, len);
+	int ret = strerror_r(err < 0 ? -err : err, dst, len);
 	if (ret)
 		snprintf(dst, len, "ERROR: strerror_r(%d)=%d", err, ret);
 	return dst;