diff --git a/libguile/fports.c b/libguile/fports.c
index bc1e516e3..35084a2f9 100644
--- a/libguile/fports.c
+++ b/libguile/fports.c
@@ -435,8 +435,11 @@ static off_t
 local_seek (SCM port, off_t offset, int whence)
 {
   struct scm_fport *fp = SCM_FSTREAM (port);
-  
-  return lseek (fp->fdes, offset, whence);
+  off_t result = lseek (fp->fdes, offset, whence);
+
+  if (result == -1)
+    scm_syserror ("local_seek");
+  return result;
 }
 
 static void
diff --git a/libguile/ports.c b/libguile/ports.c
index 306eaacf2..1272fd608 100644
--- a/libguile/ports.c
+++ b/libguile/ports.c
@@ -892,8 +892,6 @@ scm_lseek (SCM object, SCM offset, SCM whence)
 	    ptob->fflush (object);
 	  
 	  rv = ptob->seek (object, off, how);
-	  if (rv == -1)
-	    scm_syserror (s_lseek);
 	}
     }
   else /* file descriptor?.  */