diff --git a/appl/ftp/ftp/ftp.c b/appl/ftp/ftp/ftp.c
index 2a683b7db..181d6b3ff 100644
--- a/appl/ftp/ftp/ftp.c
+++ b/appl/ftp/ftp/ftp.c
@@ -64,10 +64,10 @@ hookup(char *host, int port)
 	} else {
 		hp = gethostbyname(host);
 		if (hp == NULL) {
-#ifdef __CYGWIN32__
-			warnx("%s: %s", host, "unknown error");
-#else
+#ifdef HAVE_H_ERRNO
 			warnx("%s: %s", host, hstrerror(h_errno));
+#else
+			warnx("%s: %s", host, "unknown error");
 #endif
 			code = -1;
 			return NULL;