diff --git a/linux-user/main.c b/linux-user/main.c
index 7d3cf45fa9..8143a0d4b0 100644
--- a/linux-user/main.c
+++ b/linux-user/main.c
@@ -755,8 +755,9 @@ int main(int argc, char **argv, char **envp)
     /*
      * Manage binfmt-misc open-binary flag
      */
+    errno = 0;
     execfd = qemu_getauxval(AT_EXECFD);
-    if (execfd == 0) {
+    if (errno != 0) {
         execfd = open(exec_path, O_RDONLY);
         if (execfd < 0) {
             printf("Error while loading %s: %s\n", exec_path, strerror(errno));