diff --git a/evutil.c b/evutil.c
index 5d385bdc75..402ab0d82e 100644
--- a/evutil.c
+++ b/evutil.c
@@ -388,9 +388,12 @@ evutil_make_listen_socket_reuseable_port(evutil_socket_t sock)
 int
 evutil_make_listen_socket_ipv6only(evutil_socket_t sock)
 {
+#if defined(IPV6_V6ONLY)
 	int one = 1;
 	return setsockopt(sock, IPPROTO_IPV6, IPV6_V6ONLY, (void*) &one,
 	    (ev_socklen_t)sizeof(one));
+#endif
+	return 0;
 }
 
 int
diff --git a/include/event2/util.h b/include/event2/util.h
index c0f5f80bef..80574c71e3 100644
--- a/include/event2/util.h
+++ b/include/event2/util.h
@@ -451,7 +451,8 @@ int evutil_make_socket_closeonexec(evutil_socket_t sock);
     socket() or accept().
 
     @param sock The socket to be closed
-    @return 0 on success, -1 on failure
+    @return 0 on success (whether the operation is supported or not),
+            -1 on failure
  */
 EVENT2_EXPORT_SYMBOL
 int evutil_closesocket(evutil_socket_t sock);