diff --git a/programs/cleos/httpc.cpp b/programs/cleos/httpc.cpp
index ecdb1541e1..f5b3514b75 100644
--- a/programs/cleos/httpc.cpp
+++ b/programs/cleos/httpc.cpp
@@ -258,6 +258,7 @@ namespace eosio { namespace client { namespace http {
       response_result = fc::json::from_string(re);
    } catch(...) {
       // re reported below if print_response requested
+      print_response = true;
    }
 
    if( print_response ) {