diff --git a/usr.bin/netstat/mroute.c b/usr.bin/netstat/mroute.c
index afc5458e5e11..04b7ead03b7b 100644
--- a/usr.bin/netstat/mroute.c
+++ b/usr.bin/netstat/mroute.c
@@ -409,15 +409,13 @@ mrt_stats()
 
 	mstaddr = nl[N_MRTSTAT].n_value;
 
-	if (mstaddr == 0) {
-		fprintf(stderr, "No IPv4 MROUTING kernel support.\n");
+	if (fetch_stats("net.inet.ip.mrtstat", mstaddr, &mrtstat,
+	    sizeof(mrtstat), kread_counters) != 0) {
+		if ((live && errno == ENOENT) || (!live && mstaddr == 0))
+			fprintf(stderr, "No IPv4 MROUTING kernel support.\n");
 		return;
 	}
 
-	if (fetch_stats("net.inet.ip.mrtstat", mstaddr, &mrtstat,
-	    sizeof(mrtstat), kread_counters) != 0)
-		return;
-
 	xo_emit("{T:IPv4 multicast forwarding}:\n");
 
 #define	p(f, m) if (mrtstat.f || sflag <= 1) \