diff --git a/ext/socket/raddrinfo.c b/ext/socket/raddrinfo.c
index 4ca06021ba..090ba1a0c0 100644
--- a/ext/socket/raddrinfo.c
+++ b/ext/socket/raddrinfo.c
@@ -493,8 +493,10 @@ start:
 
     pthread_t th;
     if (do_pthread_create(&th, do_getaddrinfo, arg) != 0) {
+        int err = errno;
         free_getaddrinfo_arg(arg);
-        return EAI_AGAIN;
+        errno = err;
+        return EAI_SYSTEM;
     }
     pthread_detach(th);
 
@@ -712,8 +714,10 @@ start:
 
     pthread_t th;
     if (do_pthread_create(&th, do_getnameinfo, arg) != 0) {
+        int err = errno;
         free_getnameinfo_arg(arg);
-        return EAI_AGAIN;
+        errno = err;
+        return EAI_SYSTEM;
     }
     pthread_detach(th);