diff --git a/libutil/cp.c b/libutil/cp.c
index c398962..7d4c174 100644
--- a/libutil/cp.c
+++ b/libutil/cp.c
@@ -156,8 +156,10 @@ cp(const char *s1, const char *s2, int depth)
 		if (!S_ISLNK(st.st_mode)) {
 			times[0] = st.st_atim;
 			times[1] = st.st_mtim;
-			utimensat(AT_FDCWD, s2, times, 0);
-
+			if (utimensat(AT_FDCWD, s2, times, 0) < 0) {
+				weprintf("utimensat %s:", s2);
+				cp_status = 1;
+			}
 			if (chown(s2, st.st_uid, st.st_gid) < 0) {
 				weprintf("chown %s:", s2);
 				cp_status = 1;