diff --git a/dali/daliadmin/daadmin.cpp b/dali/daliadmin/daadmin.cpp
index 1a4c70e0964..dc491615b49 100644
--- a/dali/daliadmin/daadmin.cpp
+++ b/dali/daliadmin/daadmin.cpp
@@ -253,7 +253,7 @@ bool erase(const char *path, bool backup, StringBuffer &out)
 
 //=============================================================================
 
-StringBuffer &setValue(const char *path,const char *val,StringBuffer &oldVal)
+bool setValue(const char *path,const char *val,StringBuffer &oldVal)
 {
     StringBuffer head;
     StringBuffer tmp;
@@ -261,14 +261,14 @@ StringBuffer &setValue(const char *path,const char *val,StringBuffer &oldVal)
     Owned<IRemoteConnection> conn = querySDS().connect(head.str(),myProcessSession(),RTM_LOCK_WRITE, daliConnectTimeoutMs);
     if (!conn) {
         UERRLOG("Could not connect to %s",path);
-        return oldVal;
+        return false;
     }
     Owned<IPropertyTree> root = conn->getRoot();
     root->getProp(tail,oldVal);
     root->setProp(tail,val);
     conn->commit();
     conn->close();
-    return oldVal;
+    return true;
 }
 
 //=============================================================================
diff --git a/dali/daliadmin/daadmin.hpp b/dali/daliadmin/daadmin.hpp
index 8c8e01e8232..11749217b71 100644
--- a/dali/daliadmin/daadmin.hpp
+++ b/dali/daliadmin/daadmin.hpp
@@ -36,7 +36,7 @@ extern DALIADMIN_API bool exportToXML(const char *path, StringBuffer &out, bool
 extern DALIADMIN_API bool importFromFile(const char *path, const char *filename, bool add, StringBuffer &out);
 extern DALIADMIN_API bool importFromXML(const char *path, const char *xml, bool add, StringBuffer &out);
 extern DALIADMIN_API bool erase(const char *path, bool backup,StringBuffer &out);
-extern DALIADMIN_API StringBuffer &setValue(const char *path, const char *val, StringBuffer &oldVal);
+extern DALIADMIN_API bool setValue(const char *path, const char *val, StringBuffer &oldVal);
 extern DALIADMIN_API void getValue(const char *path, StringBuffer& out);
 extern DALIADMIN_API void bget(const char *path, const char *outfn);
 extern DALIADMIN_API void wget(const char *path);
diff --git a/dali/daliadmin/daliadmin.cpp b/dali/daliadmin/daliadmin.cpp
index 4f3eb195489..5559a94bd9d 100644
--- a/dali/daliadmin/daliadmin.cpp
+++ b/dali/daliadmin/daliadmin.cpp
@@ -319,8 +319,8 @@ int main(int argc, const char* argv[])
                     }
                     else if (strieq(cmd,"set")) {
                         CHECKPARAMS(2,2);
-                        setValue(params.item(1),params.item(2),out);
-                        PROGLOG("Changed %s from '%s' to '%s'",params.item(1),out.str(),params.item(2));
+                        if (setValue(params.item(1),params.item(2),out))
+                            PROGLOG("Changed %s from '%s' to '%s'",params.item(1),out.str(),params.item(2));
                     }
                     else if (strieq(cmd,"get")) {
                         CHECKPARAMS(1,1);