diff --git a/tools/testing/selftests/alsa/conf.c b/tools/testing/selftests/alsa/conf.c
index 2f1685a3eae1..ff09038fdce6 100644
--- a/tools/testing/selftests/alsa/conf.c
+++ b/tools/testing/selftests/alsa/conf.c
@@ -186,7 +186,7 @@ static char *sysfs_get(const char *sysfs_root, const char *id)
 	close(fd);
 	if (len < 0)
 		ksft_exit_fail_msg("sysfs: unable to read value '%s': %s\n",
-				   path, errno);
+				   path, strerror(errno));
 	while (len > 0 && path[len-1] == '\n')
 		len--;
 	path[len] = '\0';