diff --git a/libnvme/src/nvme/ioctl.c b/libnvme/src/nvme/ioctl.c
index ea21520f65..cda6863a37 100644
--- a/libnvme/src/nvme/ioctl.c
+++ b/libnvme/src/nvme/ioctl.c
@@ -178,6 +178,8 @@ static int nvme_submit_passthru64(struct nvme_transport_handle *hdl,
 int nvme_submit_io_passthru(struct nvme_transport_handle *hdl,
 		struct nvme_passthru_cmd *cmd)
 {
+	cmd->admin = false;
+
 	if (hdl->ioctl64)
 		return nvme_submit_passthru64(hdl, NVME_IOCTL_IO64_CMD, cmd);
 	return nvme_submit_passthru32(hdl, NVME_IOCTL_IO_CMD, cmd);
@@ -186,6 +188,8 @@ int nvme_submit_io_passthru(struct nvme_transport_handle *hdl,
 int nvme_submit_admin_passthru(struct nvme_transport_handle *hdl,
 		struct nvme_passthru_cmd *cmd)
 {
+	cmd->admin = true;
+
 	switch (hdl->type) {
 	case NVME_TRANSPORT_HANDLE_TYPE_DIRECT:
 		if (hdl->ioctl64)
diff --git a/libnvme/src/nvme/ioctl.h b/libnvme/src/nvme/ioctl.h
index 9f27307584..4caae34459 100644
--- a/libnvme/src/nvme/ioctl.h
+++ b/libnvme/src/nvme/ioctl.h
@@ -70,6 +70,7 @@
  * @timeout_ms:	If non-zero, overrides system default timeout in milliseconds
  * @rsvd2:	Reserved for future use (and fills an implicit struct pad
  * @result:	Set on completion to the command's CQE DWORD 0-1 controller response
+ * @admin:	If true admin command else io command
  */
 struct nvme_passthru_cmd {
 	__u8    opcode;
@@ -91,6 +92,7 @@ struct nvme_passthru_cmd {
 	__u32   timeout_ms;
 	__u32   rsvd2;
 	__u64   result;
+	bool    admin;
 };
 
 /**
@@ -462,7 +464,7 @@ int nvme_submit_admin_passthru(struct nvme_transport_handle *hdl,
 		struct nvme_passthru_cmd *cmd);
 
 /**
- * nvme_submit_io_passthru() - Submit an nvme passthrough command
+ * nvme_submit_io_passthru() - Submit an nvme passthrough io command
  * @hdl:	Transport handle
  * @cmd:	The nvme io command to send
  *
diff --git a/nvme-print.c b/nvme-print.c
index 9305117300..68712b1712 100644
--- a/nvme-print.c
+++ b/nvme-print.c
@@ -522,9 +522,18 @@ void nvme_show_status(int status)
 
 void nvme_show_err(const char *msg, int err)
 {
-	if (err < 0)
+	nvme_show_cmd_err(msg, NULL, err);
+}
+
+void nvme_show_cmd_err(const char *msg, struct nvme_passthru_cmd *cmd, int err)
+{
+	if (!err)
+		return;
+	else if (err < 0)
 		nvme_show_error("%s: %s", msg, nvme_strerror(-err));
-	else if (err > 0)
+	else if (cmd)
+		nvme_show_opcode_status(err, cmd->admin, cmd->opcode);
+	else
 		nvme_show_status(err);
 }
 
diff --git a/nvme-print.h b/nvme-print.h
index db194d7833..c1df215387 100644
--- a/nvme-print.h
+++ b/nvme-print.h
@@ -160,6 +160,7 @@ struct print_ops *nvme_get_binary_print_ops(nvme_print_flags_t flags);
 
 void nvme_show_status(int status);
 void nvme_show_err(const char *msg, int err);
+void nvme_show_cmd_err(const char *msg, struct nvme_passthru_cmd *cmd, int err);
 void nvme_show_opcode_status(int status, bool admin, __u8 opcode);
 void nvme_show_lba_status_info(__u64 result);
 void nvme_show_relatives(struct nvme_global_ctx *ctx, const char *name, nvme_print_flags_t flags);
diff --git a/nvme.c b/nvme.c
index 231fc1aa81..7dbcb1b6e4 100644
--- a/nvme.c
+++ b/nvme.c
@@ -5604,10 +5604,10 @@ static int sanitize_ns_cmd(int argc, char **argv, struct command *acmd,
 
 	nvme_init_sanitize_ns(&cmd, cfg.sanact, cfg.ause, cfg.emvs);
 	err = nvme_submit_admin_passthru(hdl, &cmd);
-	if (err < 0)
-		nvme_show_error("sanitize ns: %s", nvme_strerror(err));
-	else if (err > 0)
-		nvme_show_status(err);
+	if (err) {
+		nvme_show_cmd_err("sanitize ns", &cmd, err);
+		return err;
+	}
 
 	return err;
 }