diff --git a/library/debug.c b/library/debug.c
index 4e674e1e2..51b93075f 100644
--- a/library/debug.c
+++ b/library/debug.c
@@ -84,8 +84,8 @@ void debug_print_ret( const ssl_context *ssl, int level,
     if( ssl->f_dbg == NULL )
         return;
 
-    snprintf( str, maxlen, "%s(%04d): %s() returned %d (0x%x)\n",
-              file, line, text, ret, ret );
+    snprintf( str, maxlen, "%s(%04d): %s() returned %d (-0x%04x)\n",
+              file, line, text, ret, -ret );
 
     str[maxlen] = '\0';
     ssl->f_dbg( ssl->p_dbg, level, str );