diff --git a/gio/gnetworkmonitornetlink.c b/gio/gnetworkmonitornetlink.c
index b308b3b65..f889a3b64 100644
--- a/gio/gnetworkmonitornetlink.c
+++ b/gio/gnetworkmonitornetlink.c
@@ -113,7 +113,7 @@ g_network_monitor_netlink_initable_init (GInitable     *initable,
     }
 
   nl->priv->sock = g_socket_new_from_fd (sockfd, error);
-  if (error)
+  if (!nl->priv->sock)
     {
       g_prefix_error (error, "%s", _("Could not create network monitor: "));
       (void) g_close (sockfd, NULL);