diff --git a/src/wolfesp.c b/src/wolfesp.c
index c95e70e8..05397833 100644
--- a/src/wolfesp.c
+++ b/src/wolfesp.c
@@ -1868,7 +1868,11 @@ esp_send(struct wolfIP_ll_dev * ll_dev, const struct wolfIP_ip_packet *ip,
     }
 
     /* send it */
-    ll_dev->send(ll_dev, esp, ip_final_len + ETH_HEADER_LEN);
+    esp_rc = ll_dev->send(ll_dev, esp, ip_final_len + ETH_HEADER_LEN);
+    if (esp_rc < 0) {
+        ESP_LOG("error: esp dev send: %d\n", esp_rc);
+        return -1;
+    }
     return 0;
 }
 #endif /* WOLFIP_ESP && !WOLFESP_SRC */