diff --git a/include/libnetlink.h b/include/libnetlink.h
index 148951510d1e..0854d6ad2fab 100644
--- a/include/libnetlink.h
+++ b/include/libnetlink.h
@@ -23,6 +23,7 @@ struct rtnl_handle {
 	FILE		       *dump_fp;
 #define RTNL_HANDLE_F_LISTEN_ALL_NSID		0x01
 #define RTNL_HANDLE_F_SUPPRESS_NLERR		0x02
+#define RTNL_HANDLE_F_STRICT_CHK		0x04
 	int			flags;
 };
 
diff --git a/lib/libnetlink.c b/lib/libnetlink.c
index 19318b445266..600e9a2476ba 100644
--- a/lib/libnetlink.c
+++ b/lib/libnetlink.c
@@ -166,8 +166,11 @@ void rtnl_set_strict_dump(struct rtnl_handle *rth)
 {
 	int one = 1;
 
-	setsockopt(rth->fd, SOL_NETLINK, NETLINK_GET_STRICT_CHK,
-		   &one, sizeof(one));
+	if (setsockopt(rth->fd, SOL_NETLINK, NETLINK_GET_STRICT_CHK,
+		       &one, sizeof(one)) < 0)
+		return;
+
+	rth->flags |= RTNL_HANDLE_F_STRICT_CHK;
 }
 
 void rtnl_close(struct rtnl_handle *rth)