diff --git a/pkg/util/iptables/iptables.go b/pkg/util/iptables/iptables.go
index d38ab0f9d0e..0e48e75b385 100644
--- a/pkg/util/iptables/iptables.go
+++ b/pkg/util/iptables/iptables.go
@@ -654,8 +654,12 @@ func (runner *runner) ChainExists(table Table, chain Chain) (bool, error) {
 	trace := utiltrace.New("iptables ChainExists")
 	defer trace.LogIfLong(2 * time.Second)
 
-	_, err := runner.run(opListChain, fullArgs)
-	return err == nil, err
+	out, err := runner.run(opListChain, fullArgs)
+	if err != nil {
+		klog.ErrorS(err, "Failed to list chain", "chain", chain, "table", table, "output", string(out))
+		return false, err
+	}
+	return true, nil
 }
 
 type operation string