diff --git a/src/uvw/handle.hpp b/src/uvw/handle.hpp
index b4816070..129f9776 100644
--- a/src/uvw/handle.hpp
+++ b/src/uvw/handle.hpp
@@ -86,7 +86,7 @@ public:
      * @return True if the handle is active, false otherwise.
      */
     bool active() const UVW_NOEXCEPT {
-        return !(uv_is_active(as_uv_handle()) == 0);
+        return !!uv_is_active(as_uv_handle());
     }
 
     /**
@@ -98,7 +98,7 @@ public:
      * @return True if the handle is closing or closed, false otherwise.
      */
     bool closing() const UVW_NOEXCEPT {
-        return !(uv_is_closing(as_uv_handle()) == 0);
+        return !!uv_is_closing(as_uv_handle());
     }
 
     /**
@@ -140,7 +140,7 @@ public:
      * @return True if the handle referenced, false otherwise.
      */
     bool referenced() const UVW_NOEXCEPT {
-        return !(uv_has_ref(as_uv_handle()) == 0);
+        return !!uv_has_ref(as_uv_handle());
     }
 
     /**
@@ -160,12 +160,13 @@ public:
      * udp handles on Windows.<br/>
      * Note that Linux will return double the size of the original set value.
      *
-     * @return The size of the send buffer, 0 in case of errors.
+     * @return The size of the send buffer, the underlying return value in case
+     * of errors.
      */
     int send_buffer_size() {
         int value = 0;
         auto err = uv_send_buffer_size(as_uv_handle(), &value);
-        return err ? 0 : value;
+        return err ? err : value;
     }
 
     /**
@@ -177,10 +178,10 @@ public:
      * udp handles on Windows.<br/>
      * Note that Linux will set double the size.
      *
-     * @return True in case of success, false otherwise.
+     * @return Underlying return value.
      */
-    bool send_buffer_size(int value) {
-        return (0 == uv_send_buffer_size(as_uv_handle(), &value));
+    int send_buffer_size(int value) {
+        return uv_send_buffer_size(as_uv_handle(), &value);
     }
 
     /**
@@ -192,12 +193,13 @@ public:
      * udp handles on Windows.<br/>
      * Note that Linux will return double the size of the original set value.
      *
-     * @return The size of the receive buffer, 0 in case of errors.
+     * @return The size of the receive buffer, the underlying return value in
+     * case of errors.
      */
     int recv_buffer_size() {
         int value = 0;
         auto err = uv_recv_buffer_size(as_uv_handle(), &value);
-        return err ? 0 : value;
+        return err ? err : value;
     }
 
     /**
@@ -209,10 +211,10 @@ public:
      * udp handles on Windows.<br/>
      * Note that Linux will set double the size.
      *
-     * @return True in case of success, false otherwise.
+     * @return Underlying return value.
      */
-    bool recv_buffer_size(int value) {
-        return (0 == uv_recv_buffer_size(as_uv_handle(), &value));
+    int recv_buffer_size(int value) {
+        return uv_recv_buffer_size(as_uv_handle(), &value);
     }
 
     /**
diff --git a/src/uvw/loop.cpp b/src/uvw/loop.cpp
index 442594e9..569ee14f 100644
--- a/src/uvw/loop.cpp
+++ b/src/uvw/loop.cpp
@@ -68,7 +68,7 @@ int loop::run(run_mode mode) UVW_NOEXCEPT {
 }
 
 UVW_INLINE bool loop::alive() const UVW_NOEXCEPT {
-    return !(uv_loop_alive(uv_loop.get()) == 0);
+    return !!uv_loop_alive(uv_loop.get());
 }
 
 UVW_INLINE void loop::stop() UVW_NOEXCEPT {
diff --git a/src/uvw/pipe.cpp b/src/uvw/pipe.cpp
index 0ef3b825..614dd7f2 100644
--- a/src/uvw/pipe.cpp
+++ b/src/uvw/pipe.cpp
@@ -55,8 +55,8 @@ UVW_INLINE handle_type pipe_handle::receive() UVW_NOEXCEPT {
     return utilities::guess_handle(category);
 }
 
-UVW_INLINE bool pipe_handle::chmod(chmod_flags flags) UVW_NOEXCEPT {
-    return (0 == uv_pipe_chmod(raw(), static_cast<uv_poll_event>(flags)));
+UVW_INLINE int pipe_handle::chmod(chmod_flags flags) UVW_NOEXCEPT {
+    return uv_pipe_chmod(raw(), static_cast<uv_poll_event>(flags));
 }
 
 } // namespace uvw
diff --git a/src/uvw/pipe.h b/src/uvw/pipe.h
index 0cf7f84b..d80947a1 100644
--- a/src/uvw/pipe.h
+++ b/src/uvw/pipe.h
@@ -145,9 +145,9 @@ public:
      * for further details.
      *
      * @param flags A valid set of flags.
-     * @return True in case of success, false otherwise.
+     * @return Underlying return value.
      */
-    bool chmod(chmod_flags flags) UVW_NOEXCEPT;
+    int chmod(chmod_flags flags) UVW_NOEXCEPT;
 
 private:
     bool ipc;
diff --git a/test/uvw/handle.cpp b/test/uvw/handle.cpp
index e3e4ab87..73b0e1e8 100644
--- a/test/uvw/handle.cpp
+++ b/test/uvw/handle.cpp
@@ -37,11 +37,11 @@ TEST(Handle, Functionalities) {
 
     ASSERT_NE(handle->size(), static_cast<decltype(handle->size())>(0));
 
-    ASSERT_EQ(handle->send_buffer_size(), static_cast<decltype(handle->send_buffer_size())>(0));
-    ASSERT_FALSE(handle->send_buffer_size(0));
+    ASSERT_LT(handle->send_buffer_size(), 0);
+    ASSERT_NE(0, handle->send_buffer_size(0));
 
-    ASSERT_EQ(handle->recv_buffer_size(), static_cast<decltype(handle->recv_buffer_size())>(0));
-    ASSERT_FALSE(handle->recv_buffer_size(0));
+    ASSERT_LT(handle->recv_buffer_size(), 0);
+    ASSERT_NE(0, handle->recv_buffer_size(0));
 
     ASSERT_NO_THROW(handle->fd());
 }