diff --git a/src/util/virnetdev.c b/src/util/virnetdev.c
index 12faf51a47..971e24da9f 100644
--- a/src/util/virnetdev.c
+++ b/src/util/virnetdev.c
@@ -3151,15 +3151,39 @@ static int
 virNetDevSendEthtoolIoctl(const char *ifname, void *cmd)
 {
     int ret = -1;
-    int fd;
-    struct ifreq ifr;
+    int sock = -1;
+    virIfreq ifr;
 
-    if ((fd = virNetDevSetupControl(ifname, &ifr)) < 0)
-        return ret;
+    sock = socket(AF_LOCAL, SOCK_DGRAM, 0);
+    if (sock < 0) {
+        virReportSystemError(errno, "%s", _("Cannot open control socket"));
+        goto cleanup;
+    }
+
+    memset(&ifr, 0, sizeof(ifr));
+    strcpy(ifr.ifr_name, ifname);
     ifr.ifr_data = cmd;
-    ret = ioctl(fd, SIOCETHTOOL, &ifr);
+    ret = ioctl(sock, SIOCETHTOOL, &ifr);
+    if (ret != 0) {
+        switch (errno) {
+            case EPERM:
+                VIR_DEBUG("ethtool ioctl: permission denied");
+                break;
+            case EINVAL:
+                VIR_DEBUG("ethtool ioctl: invalid request");
+                break;
+            case EOPNOTSUPP:
+                VIR_DEBUG("ethtool ioctl: request not supported");
+                break;
+            default:
+                virReportSystemError(errno, "%s", _("ethtool ioctl error"));
+                goto cleanup;
+        }
+    }
 
-    VIR_FORCE_CLOSE(fd);
+ cleanup:
+    if (sock)
+        VIR_FORCE_CLOSE(sock);
     return ret;
 }
 
@@ -3176,12 +3200,12 @@ virNetDevSendEthtoolIoctl(const char *ifname, void *cmd)
 static int
 virNetDevFeatureAvailable(const char *ifname, struct ethtool_value *cmd)
 {
+    int ret = -1;
+
     cmd = (void*)cmd;
-    if (virNetDevSendEthtoolIoctl(ifname, cmd) < 0) {
-        virReportSystemError(errno, _("Cannot get device %s flags"), ifname);
-        return -1;
-    }
-    return cmd->data > 0 ? 1 : 0;
+    if (!virNetDevSendEthtoolIoctl(ifname, cmd))
+        ret = cmd->data > 0 ? 1 : 0;
+    return ret;
 }
 
 
@@ -3198,12 +3222,12 @@ virNetDevFeatureAvailable(const char *ifname, struct ethtool_value *cmd)
 static int
 virNetDevGFeatureAvailable(const char *ifname, struct ethtool_gfeatures *cmd)
 {
+    int ret = -1;
+
     cmd = (void*)cmd;
-    if (virNetDevSendEthtoolIoctl(ifname, cmd) < 0) {
-        virReportSystemError(errno, _("Cannot get device %s generic features"), ifname);
-        return -1;
-    }
-    return FEATURE_BIT_IS_SET(cmd->features, TX_UDP_TNL, active);
+    if (!virNetDevSendEthtoolIoctl(ifname, cmd))
+        ret = FEATURE_BIT_IS_SET(cmd->features, TX_UDP_TNL, active);
+    return ret;
 }
 # endif