diff --git a/zebra/main.c b/zebra/main.c
index 2d6a4ac..d829c04 100644
--- a/zebra/main.c
+++ b/zebra/main.c
@@ -362,8 +362,11 @@
     exit (0);
 
   /* Daemonize. */
-  if (daemon_mode)
-    daemon (0, 0);
+  if (daemon_mode && daemon (0, 0) < 0)
+    {
+      zlog_err("Zebra daemon failed: %s", strerror(errno));
+      exit (1);
+    }
 
   /* Output pid of zebra. */
   pid_output (pid_file);
diff --git a/zebra/test_main.c b/zebra/test_main.c
index e186fea..4398a38 100644
--- a/zebra/test_main.c
+++ b/zebra/test_main.c
@@ -308,8 +308,11 @@
     exit (0);
 
   /* Daemonize. */
-  if (daemon_mode)
-    daemon (0, 0);
+  if (daemon_mode && daemon (0, 0) < 0)
+    {
+      perror("daemon start failed");
+      exit (1);
+    }
 
   /* Needed for BSD routing socket. */
   pid = getpid ();