diff --git a/pipewire-alsa/alsa-plugins/ctl_pipewire.c b/pipewire-alsa/alsa-plugins/ctl_pipewire.c
index ea2d50674..76eed8461 100644
--- a/pipewire-alsa/alsa-plugins/ctl_pipewire.c
+++ b/pipewire-alsa/alsa-plugins/ctl_pipewire.c
@@ -1359,8 +1359,8 @@ SND_CTL_PLUGIN_DEFINE_FUNC(pipewire)
 
 	ctl->system = loop->system;
 	ctl->fd = spa_system_eventfd_create(ctl->system, SPA_FD_CLOEXEC | SPA_FD_NONBLOCK);
-	if (ctl->fd == -1) {
-		err = -errno;
+	if (ctl->fd < 0) {
+		err = ctl->fd;
 		goto error;
 	}
 
diff --git a/pipewire-alsa/alsa-plugins/pcm_pipewire.c b/pipewire-alsa/alsa-plugins/pcm_pipewire.c
index e5043aa94..106c8a62e 100644
--- a/pipewire-alsa/alsa-plugins/pcm_pipewire.c
+++ b/pipewire-alsa/alsa-plugins/pcm_pipewire.c
@@ -1253,6 +1253,10 @@ static int snd_pcm_pipewire_open(snd_pcm_t **pcmp,
 	pw_thread_loop_unlock(pw->main_loop);
 
 	pw->fd = spa_system_eventfd_create(pw->system, SPA_FD_CLOEXEC | SPA_FD_NONBLOCK);
+	if (pw->fd < 0) {
+		err = pw->fd;
+		goto error;
+	}
 
 	pw->io.version = SND_PCM_IOPLUG_VERSION;
 	pw->io.name = "ALSA <-> PipeWire PCM I/O Plugin";
diff --git a/spa/plugins/support/system.c b/spa/plugins/support/system.c
index 2e60d48b9..0c273ba50 100644
--- a/spa/plugins/support/system.c
+++ b/spa/plugins/support/system.c
@@ -190,7 +190,7 @@ static int impl_timerfd_read(void *object, int fd, uint64_t *expirations)
 static int impl_eventfd_create(void *object, int flags)
 {
 	struct impl *impl = object;
-	int fl = 0, res;
+	int fl = 0, res, err;
 	if (flags & SPA_FD_CLOEXEC)
 		fl |= EFD_CLOEXEC;
 	if (flags & SPA_FD_NONBLOCK)
@@ -198,8 +198,9 @@ static int impl_eventfd_create(void *object, int flags)
 	if (flags & SPA_FD_EVENT_SEMAPHORE)
 		fl |= EFD_SEMAPHORE;
 	res = eventfd(0, fl);
+	err = -errno; /* save errno in case it is overwritten before return */
 	spa_log_debug(impl->log, "%p: new fd:%d", impl, res);
-	return res < 0 ? -errno : res;
+	return res < 0 ? err : res;
 }
 
 static int impl_eventfd_write(void *object, int fd, uint64_t count)