diff --git a/lib/net.js b/lib/net.js
index 1c98cf4820178f..f15a8eed10ef9c 100644
--- a/lib/net.js
+++ b/lib/net.js
@@ -736,9 +736,11 @@ Socket.prototype._getpeername = function() {
   if (!this._handle || !this._handle.getpeername) {
     return this._peername || {};
   } else if (!this._peername) {
-    this._peername = {};
+    const out = {};
+    const err = this._handle.getpeername(out);
     // FIXME(bnoordhuis) Throw when the return value is not 0?
-    this._handle.getpeername(this._peername);
+    if (err) return {};
+    this._peername = out;
   }
   return this._peername;
 };