diff --git a/lib/tls/openssl/openssl-client.c b/lib/tls/openssl/openssl-client.c
index d51c4d40..2f8c8df8 100644
--- a/lib/tls/openssl/openssl-client.c
+++ b/lib/tls/openssl/openssl-client.c
@@ -212,6 +212,9 @@ lws_tls_client_connect(struct lws *wsi)
 
 	m = lws_ssl_get_error(wsi, n);
 
+	if (m == SSL_ERROR_SYSCALL)
+		return LWS_SSL_CAPABLE_ERROR;
+
 	if (m == SSL_ERROR_WANT_READ || SSL_want_read(wsi->ssl))
 		return LWS_SSL_CAPABLE_MORE_SERVICE_READ;
 
diff --git a/lib/tls/openssl/ssl.c b/lib/tls/openssl/ssl.c
index e959c360..faef7e7e 100644
--- a/lib/tls/openssl/ssl.c
+++ b/lib/tls/openssl/ssl.c
@@ -37,7 +37,7 @@ int lws_ssl_get_error(struct lws *wsi, int n)
 		return 99;
 
 	m = SSL_get_error(wsi->ssl, n);
-	lwsl_debug("%s: %p %d -> %d\n", __func__, wsi->ssl, n, m);
+	lwsl_debug("%s: %p %d -> %d (errno %d)\n", __func__, wsi->ssl, n, m, errno);
 
 	return m;
 }