diff --git a/btrfs-select-super.c b/btrfs-select-super.c
index f12f36ce..51eb9c96 100644
--- a/btrfs-select-super.c
+++ b/btrfs-select-super.c
@@ -75,7 +75,7 @@ int main(int ac, char **av)
 	radix_tree_init();
 
 	if((ret = check_mounted(av[optind])) < 0) {
-		fprintf(stderr, "Could not check mount status: %s\n", strerror(ret));
+		fprintf(stderr, "Could not check mount status: %s\n", strerror(-ret));
 		return ret;
 	} else if(ret) {
 		fprintf(stderr, "%s is currently mounted. Aborting.\n", av[optind]);
diff --git a/btrfs-zero-log.c b/btrfs-zero-log.c
index f10438be..54d7858f 100644
--- a/btrfs-zero-log.c
+++ b/btrfs-zero-log.c
@@ -50,7 +50,7 @@ int main(int ac, char **av)
 	radix_tree_init();
 
 	if((ret = check_mounted(av[1])) < 0) {
-		fprintf(stderr, "Could not check mount status: %s\n", strerror(ret));
+		fprintf(stderr, "Could not check mount status: %s\n", strerror(-ret));
 		return ret;
 	} else if(ret) {
 		fprintf(stderr, "%s is currently mounted. Aborting.\n", av[1]);
diff --git a/btrfsck.c b/btrfsck.c
index fc2ac883..3a23e665 100644
--- a/btrfsck.c
+++ b/btrfsck.c
@@ -2838,7 +2838,7 @@ int main(int ac, char **av)
 	cache_tree_init(&root_cache);
 
 	if((ret = check_mounted(av[optind])) < 0) {
-		fprintf(stderr, "Could not check mount status: %s\n", strerror(ret));
+		fprintf(stderr, "Could not check mount status: %s\n", strerror(-ret));
 		return ret;
 	} else if(ret) {
 		fprintf(stderr, "%s is currently mounted. Aborting.\n", av[optind]);