diff --git a/lib/libc/net/nscache.c b/lib/libc/net/nscache.c
--- a/lib/libc/net/nscache.c
+++ b/lib/libc/net/nscache.c
@@ -107,8 +107,8 @@
 	do {
 		connection = __open_cached_connection(&params);
 		if (connection == NULL) {
-			res = -1;
-			break;
+			free(buffer);
+			return (NS_UNAVAIL);
 		}
 		res = __cached_read(connection, cache_info->entry_name,
 		    cache_data->key, cache_data->key_size, buffer,
@@ -317,11 +317,11 @@
 		__close_cached_mp_read_session(rs);
 		rs = INVALID_CACHED_MP_READ_SESSION;
 		cache_info->set_mp_rs_func(rs);
-		return (res == -1 ? NS_RETURN : NS_UNAVAIL);
+		return (res == 1 ? NS_NOTFOUND : NS_UNAVAIL);
 	}
 
 	free(buffer);
-	return (res == 0 ? NS_SUCCESS : NS_NOTFOUND);
+	return (NS_SUCCESS);
 }
 
 int
diff --git a/lib/libc/net/nscachedcli.c b/lib/libc/net/nscachedcli.c
--- a/lib/libc/net/nscachedcli.c
+++ b/lib/libc/net/nscachedcli.c
@@ -538,7 +538,7 @@
 		goto fin;
 
 	if (rec_error_code != 0) {
-		error_code = rec_error_code;
+		error_code = -rec_error_code;
 		goto fin;
 	}