diff --git a/lib/isc/log.c b/lib/isc/log.c
index 40bb7fbb32..71fa5365c1 100644
--- a/lib/isc/log.c
+++ b/lib/isc/log.c
@@ -1037,8 +1037,10 @@ greatest_version(isc_logfile_t *file, int versions, int *greatestp) {
 			 * Remove any backup files that exceed versions.
 			 */
 			if (*digit_end == '\0' && version >= versions) {
-				int n = unlinkat(dirfd(dir.handle),
-						 dir.entry.name, 0);
+				int n = dirfd(dir.handle);
+				if (n >= 0) {
+					n = unlinkat(n, dir.entry.name, 0);
+				}
 				if (n < 0) {
 					result = isc_errno_toresult(errno);
 					if (result != ISC_R_SUCCESS &&
@@ -1184,8 +1186,10 @@ remove_old_tsversions(isc_logfile_t *file, int versions) {
 			 * Remove any backup files that exceed versions.
 			 */
 			if (*digit_end == '\0' && version < last) {
-				int n = unlinkat(dirfd(dir.handle),
-						 dir.entry.name, 0);
+				int n = dirfd(dir.handle);
+				if (n >= 0) {
+					n = unlinkat(n, dir.entry.name, 0);
+				}
 				if (n < 0) {
 					result = isc_errno_toresult(errno);
 					if (result != ISC_R_SUCCESS &&