diff --git a/tar/tree.c b/tar/tree.c
index 9ec3c2ff..e245ee0e 100644
--- a/tar/tree.c
+++ b/tar/tree.c
@@ -392,6 +392,7 @@ tree_next(struct tree *t)
 			if (de == NULL) {
 				if (errno) {
 					/* If readdir fails, we're screwed. */
+					t->tree_errno = errno;
 					closedir(t->d);
 					t->d = NULL;
 					t->visit_type = TREE_ERROR_FATAL;
@@ -438,16 +439,16 @@ tree_next(struct tree *t)
 			t->dirname_length = t->path_length;
 			if (chdir(t->stack->name) != 0) {
 				/* chdir() failed; return error */
-				tree_pop(t);
 				t->tree_errno = errno;
+				tree_pop(t);
 				return (t->visit_type = TREE_ERROR_DIR);
 			}
 			t->depth++;
 			t->d = opendir(".");
 			if (t->d == NULL) {
+				t->tree_errno = errno;
 				r = tree_ascend(t); /* Undo "chdir" */
 				tree_pop(t);
-				t->tree_errno = errno;
 				t->visit_type = r != 0 ? r : TREE_ERROR_DIR;
 				return (t->visit_type);
 			}
diff --git a/tar/tree.h b/tar/tree.h
index a7513174..dd3f3e9a 100644
--- a/tar/tree.h
+++ b/tar/tree.h
@@ -71,7 +71,8 @@ int tree_close(struct tree *);
  * fatal error, but it does imply that the relevant subtree won't be
  * visited.  TREE_ERROR_FATAL is returned for an error that left the
  * traversal completely hosed.  Right now, this is only returned for
- * chdir() failures during ascent.
+ * chdir() failures during ascent, or readdir() failures when looking
+ * for the next entry.
  */
 #define	TREE_REGULAR	1
 #define	TREE_POSTDESCENT	2
diff --git a/tar/write.c b/tar/write.c
index 5615d990..136c97d8 100644
--- a/tar/write.c
+++ b/tar/write.c
@@ -793,7 +793,7 @@ write_hierarchy(struct bsdtar *bsdtar, struct archive *a, const char *path)
 			    "%s: Unable to continue traversing directory tree",
 			    name);
 		if (tree_ret == TREE_ERROR_DIR) {
-			bsdtar_warnc(bsdtar, errno,
+			bsdtar_warnc(bsdtar, tree_errno(tree),
 			    "%s: Couldn't visit directory", name);
 			bsdtar->return_value = 1;
 		}