diff --git a/libbb/xfuncs.c b/libbb/xfuncs.c
index 7fe5c3a45..7e1109470 100644
--- a/libbb/xfuncs.c
+++ b/libbb/xfuncs.c
@@ -540,7 +540,18 @@ int xsocket(int domain, int type, int protocol)
 {
 	int r = socket(domain, type, protocol);
 
-	if (r < 0) bb_perror_msg_and_die("socket");
+	if (r < 0) {
+		/* Hijack vaguely related config option */
+#if ENABLE_VERBOSE_RESOLUTION_ERRORS
+		const char *s = "INET";
+		if (domain == AF_PACKET) s = "PACKET";
+		if (domain == AF_NETLINK) s = "NETLINK";
+USE_FEATURE_IPV6(if (domain == AF_INET6) s = "INET6";)
+		bb_perror_msg_and_die("socket(AF_%s)", s);
+#else
+		bb_perror_msg_and_die("socket");
+#endif
+	}
 
 	return r;
 }