diff --git a/src/rgw/rgw_main.cc b/src/rgw/rgw_main.cc
index 323a5e7a01d..28877569d3f 100644
--- a/src/rgw/rgw_main.cc
+++ b/src/rgw/rgw_main.cc
@@ -78,9 +78,8 @@ void signal_shutdown()
     int val = 0;
     int ret = write(signal_fd[0], (char *)&val, sizeof(val));
     if (ret < 0) {
-      int err = -errno;
       derr << "ERROR: " << __func__ << ": write() returned "
-           << cpp_strerror(-err) << dendl;
+           << cpp_strerror(errno) << dendl;
     }
   }
 }