diff --git a/sysdeps/mach/hurd/bits/types/error_t.h b/sysdeps/mach/hurd/bits/types/error_t.h
index 380aa434d5..4a7bd452c8 100644
--- a/sysdeps/mach/hurd/bits/types/error_t.h
+++ b/sysdeps/mach/hurd/bits/types/error_t.h
@@ -24,6 +24,12 @@
 #ifndef __error_t_defined
 # define __error_t_defined 1
 
+#ifdef __cplusplus
+/* Unfortunately, in C++ int and enum __error_t_codes are not
+   interoperable...  */
+typedef int error_t;
+#else
 typedef enum __error_t_codes error_t;
+#endif
 
 #endif