diff --git a/oshw/linux/nicdrv.c b/oshw/linux/nicdrv.c
index 8391bfaf..54982925 100644
--- a/oshw/linux/nicdrv.c
+++ b/oshw/linux/nicdrv.c
@@ -144,29 +144,32 @@ int ecx_setupnic(ecx_portt *port, const char *ifname, int secondary)
    }
    /* we use RAW packet socket, with packet type ETH_P_ECAT */
    *psock = socket(PF_PACKET, SOCK_RAW, htons(ETH_P_ECAT));
+   if(*psock < 0)
+      return 0;
 
    timeout.tv_sec =  0;
    timeout.tv_usec = 1;
-   r = setsockopt(*psock, SOL_SOCKET, SO_RCVTIMEO, &timeout, sizeof(timeout));
-   r = setsockopt(*psock, SOL_SOCKET, SO_SNDTIMEO, &timeout, sizeof(timeout));
+   r = 0;
+   r |= setsockopt(*psock, SOL_SOCKET, SO_RCVTIMEO, &timeout, sizeof(timeout));
+   r |= setsockopt(*psock, SOL_SOCKET, SO_SNDTIMEO, &timeout, sizeof(timeout));
    i = 1;
-   r = setsockopt(*psock, SOL_SOCKET, SO_DONTROUTE, &i, sizeof(i));
+   r |= setsockopt(*psock, SOL_SOCKET, SO_DONTROUTE, &i, sizeof(i));
    /* connect socket to NIC by name */
    strcpy(ifr.ifr_name, ifname);
-   r = ioctl(*psock, SIOCGIFINDEX, &ifr);
+   r |= ioctl(*psock, SIOCGIFINDEX, &ifr);
    ifindex = ifr.ifr_ifindex;
    strcpy(ifr.ifr_name, ifname);
    ifr.ifr_flags = 0;
    /* reset flags of NIC interface */
-   r = ioctl(*psock, SIOCGIFFLAGS, &ifr);
+   r |= ioctl(*psock, SIOCGIFFLAGS, &ifr);
    /* set flags of NIC interface, here promiscuous and broadcast */
    ifr.ifr_flags = ifr.ifr_flags | IFF_PROMISC | IFF_BROADCAST;
-   r = ioctl(*psock, SIOCSIFFLAGS, &ifr);
+   r |= ioctl(*psock, SIOCSIFFLAGS, &ifr);
    /* bind socket to protocol, in this case RAW EtherCAT */
    sll.sll_family = AF_PACKET;
    sll.sll_ifindex = ifindex;
    sll.sll_protocol = htons(ETH_P_ECAT);
-   r = bind(*psock, (struct sockaddr *)&sll, sizeof(sll));
+   r |= bind(*psock, (struct sockaddr *)&sll, sizeof(sll));
    /* setup ethernet headers in tx buffers so we don't have to repeat it */
    for (i = 0; i < EC_MAXBUF; i++)
    {