diff --git a/hw/9pfs/9p-util-darwin.c b/hw/9pfs/9p-util-darwin.c
index bd2dd81548..95146e7354 100644
--- a/hw/9pfs/9p-util-darwin.c
+++ b/hw/9pfs/9p-util-darwin.c
@@ -124,7 +124,8 @@ int qemu_mknodat(int dirfd, const char *filename, mode_t mode, dev_t dev)
     }
     if (!pthread_fchdir_np) {
         error_report_once("pthread_fchdir_np() not available on this version of macOS");
-        return -ENOTSUP;
+        errno = ENOTSUP;
+        return -1;
     }
     if (pthread_fchdir_np(dirfd) < 0) {
         return -1;