diff --git a/lib/net.js b/lib/net.js
index b149878f6574dc..667fbc60c2d171 100644
--- a/lib/net.js
+++ b/lib/net.js
@@ -674,14 +674,12 @@ Socket.prototype._destroy = function(exception, cb) {
 };
 
 Socket.prototype._getpeername = function() {
-  if (!this._peername) {
-    if (!this._handle || !this._handle.getpeername) {
-      return {};
-    }
-    const out = {};
-    const err = this._handle.getpeername(out);
-    if (err) return {};  // FIXME(bnoordhuis) Throw?
-    this._peername = out;
+  if (!this._handle || !this._handle.getpeername) {
+    return this._peername || {};
+  } else if (!this._peername) {
+    this._peername = {};
+    // FIXME(bnoordhuis) Throw when the return value is not 0?
+    this._handle.getpeername(this._peername);
   }
   return this._peername;
 };
@@ -714,12 +712,10 @@ protoGetter('remotePort', function remotePort() {
 Socket.prototype._getsockname = function() {
   if (!this._handle || !this._handle.getsockname) {
     return {};
-  }
-  if (!this._sockname) {
-    const out = {};
-    const err = this._handle.getsockname(out);
-    if (err) return {};  // FIXME(bnoordhuis) Throw?
-    this._sockname = out;
+  } else if (!this._sockname) {
+    this._sockname = {};
+    // FIXME(bnoordhuis) Throw when the return value is not 0?
+    this._handle.getsockname(this._sockname);
   }
   return this._sockname;
 };