diff --git a/tools/bpf/bpftool/common.c b/tools/bpf/bpftool/common.c
index c52a6ffb8949..6a71324be628 100644
--- a/tools/bpf/bpftool/common.c
+++ b/tools/bpf/bpftool/common.c
@@ -204,7 +204,11 @@ int do_pin_fd(int fd, const char *name)
 	if (err)
 		return err;
 
-	return bpf_obj_pin(fd, name);
+	err = bpf_obj_pin(fd, name);
+	if (err)
+		p_err("can't pin the object (%s): %s", name, strerror(errno));
+
+	return err;
 }
 
 int do_pin_any(int argc, char **argv, int (*get_fd_by_id)(__u32))