diff --git a/tools/testing/selftests/openat2/helpers.h b/tools/testing/selftests/openat2/helpers.h
index a6ea27344db2d..ad5d0ba5b6ce9 100644
--- a/tools/testing/selftests/openat2/helpers.h
+++ b/tools/testing/selftests/openat2/helpers.h
@@ -62,11 +62,12 @@ bool needs_openat2(const struct open_how *how);
 					(similar to chroot(2)). */
 #endif /* RESOLVE_IN_ROOT */
 
-#define E_func(func, ...)						\
-	do {								\
-		if (func(__VA_ARGS__) < 0)				\
-			ksft_exit_fail_msg("%s:%d %s failed\n", \
-					   __FILE__, __LINE__, #func);\
+#define E_func(func, ...)						      \
+	do {								      \
+		errno = 0;						      \
+		if (func(__VA_ARGS__) < 0)				      \
+			ksft_exit_fail_msg("%s:%d %s failed - errno:%d\n",    \
+					   __FILE__, __LINE__, #func, errno); \
 	} while (0)
 
 #define E_asprintf(...)		E_func(asprintf,	__VA_ARGS__)