diff --git a/include/spdk/sock.h b/include/spdk/sock.h
index 501500bcb..282d224cb 100644
--- a/include/spdk/sock.h
+++ b/include/spdk/sock.h
@@ -249,7 +249,7 @@ int spdk_sock_group_remove_sock(struct spdk_sock_group *group, struct spdk_sock
  *
  * \param group Group to poll.
  *
- * \return 0 on success, -1 on failure.
+ * \return the number of events on success, -1 on failure.
  */
 int spdk_sock_group_poll(struct spdk_sock_group *group);
 
diff --git a/lib/iscsi/iscsi_subsystem.c b/lib/iscsi/iscsi_subsystem.c
index 39a6065f3..a4bdd6268 100644
--- a/lib/iscsi/iscsi_subsystem.c
+++ b/lib/iscsi/iscsi_subsystem.c
@@ -1177,7 +1177,7 @@ iscsi_poll_group_poll(void *ctx)
 		}
 	}
 
-	return -1;
+	return rc;
 }
 
 static int
diff --git a/lib/nvmf/tcp.c b/lib/nvmf/tcp.c
index a92212e86..a84621b2e 100644
--- a/lib/nvmf/tcp.c
+++ b/lib/nvmf/tcp.c
@@ -2776,10 +2776,9 @@ spdk_nvmf_tcp_poll_group_poll(struct spdk_nvmf_transport_poll_group *group)
 	rc = spdk_sock_group_poll(tgroup->sock_group);
 	if (rc < 0) {
 		SPDK_ERRLOG("Failed to poll sock_group=%p\n", tgroup->sock_group);
-		return rc;
 	}
 
-	return 0;
+	return rc;
 }
 
 static int
diff --git a/lib/sock/sock.c b/lib/sock/sock.c
index 29426b1b9..5339272a5 100644
--- a/lib/sock/sock.c
+++ b/lib/sock/sock.c
@@ -456,14 +456,14 @@ spdk_sock_group_impl_poll_count(struct spdk_sock_group_impl *group_impl,
 		assert(sock->cb_fn != NULL);
 		sock->cb_fn(sock->cb_arg, group, sock);
 	}
-	return 0;
+	return num_events;
 }
 
 int
 spdk_sock_group_poll_count(struct spdk_sock_group *group, int max_events)
 {
 	struct spdk_sock_group_impl *group_impl = NULL;
-	int rc, final_rc = 0;
+	int rc, num_events = 0;
 
 	if (max_events < 1) {
 		errno = -EINVAL;
@@ -480,14 +480,16 @@ spdk_sock_group_poll_count(struct spdk_sock_group *group, int max_events)
 
 	STAILQ_FOREACH_FROM(group_impl, &group->group_impls, link) {
 		rc = spdk_sock_group_impl_poll_count(group_impl, group, max_events);
-		if (rc != 0) {
-			final_rc = rc;
+		if (rc < 0) {
+			num_events = -1;
 			SPDK_ERRLOG("group_impl_poll_count for net(%s) failed\n",
 				    group_impl->net_impl->name);
+		} else if (num_events >= 0) {
+			num_events += rc;
 		}
 	}
 
-	return final_rc;
+	return num_events;
 }
 
 int
diff --git a/test/unit/lib/sock/sock.c/sock_ut.c b/test/unit/lib/sock/sock.c/sock_ut.c
index ca5c674aa..f7d8adfc1 100644
--- a/test/unit/lib/sock/sock.c/sock_ut.c
+++ b/test/unit/lib/sock/sock.c/sock_ut.c
@@ -510,7 +510,7 @@ _sock_group(const char *ip, int port)
 	g_bytes_read = 0;
 	rc = spdk_sock_group_poll(group);
 
-	CU_ASSERT(rc == 0);
+	CU_ASSERT(rc == 1);
 	CU_ASSERT(g_read_data_called == true);
 	CU_ASSERT(g_bytes_read == 7);
 
@@ -621,7 +621,7 @@ posix_sock_group_fairness(void)
 	 */
 	g_server_sock_read = NULL;
 	rc = spdk_sock_group_poll_count(group, 1);
-	CU_ASSERT(rc == 0);
+	CU_ASSERT(rc == 1);
 	CU_ASSERT(g_server_sock_read == server_sock[0]);
 
 	/*
@@ -636,17 +636,17 @@ posix_sock_group_fairness(void)
 
 	g_server_sock_read = NULL;
 	rc = spdk_sock_group_poll_count(group, 1);
-	CU_ASSERT(rc == 0);
+	CU_ASSERT(rc == 1);
 	CU_ASSERT(g_server_sock_read == server_sock[1]);
 
 	g_server_sock_read = NULL;
 	rc = spdk_sock_group_poll_count(group, 1);
-	CU_ASSERT(rc == 0);
+	CU_ASSERT(rc == 1);
 	CU_ASSERT(g_server_sock_read == server_sock[2]);
 
 	g_server_sock_read = NULL;
 	rc = spdk_sock_group_poll_count(group, 1);
-	CU_ASSERT(rc == 0);
+	CU_ASSERT(rc == 1);
 	CU_ASSERT(g_server_sock_read == server_sock[0]);
 
 	for (i = 0; i < 3; i++) {