diff --git a/sbin/ifconfig/ifgroup.c b/sbin/ifconfig/ifgroup.c
index 9eaac3b699bb..f8b18b4a9835 100644
--- a/sbin/ifconfig/ifgroup.c
+++ b/sbin/ifconfig/ifgroup.c
@@ -57,7 +57,7 @@ setifgroup(const char *group_name, int d, int s, const struct afswtch *rafp)
 
 	if (strlcpy(ifgr.ifgr_group, group_name, IFNAMSIZ) >= IFNAMSIZ)
 		errx(1, "setifgroup: group name too long");
-	if (ioctl(s, SIOCAIFGROUP, (caddr_t)&ifgr) == -1)
+	if (ioctl(s, SIOCAIFGROUP, (caddr_t)&ifgr) == -1 && errno != EEXIST)
 		err(1," SIOCAIFGROUP");
 }
 
@@ -75,7 +75,7 @@ unsetifgroup(const char *group_name, int d, int s, const struct afswtch *rafp)
 
 	if (strlcpy(ifgr.ifgr_group, group_name, IFNAMSIZ) >= IFNAMSIZ)
 		errx(1, "unsetifgroup: group name too long");
-	if (ioctl(s, SIOCDIFGROUP, (caddr_t)&ifgr) == -1)
+	if (ioctl(s, SIOCDIFGROUP, (caddr_t)&ifgr) == -1 && errno != ENOENT)
 		err(1, "SIOCDIFGROUP");
 }