diff --git a/arch/sparc/kernel/ldc.c b/arch/sparc/kernel/ldc.c
index 54df554b82d98..fa4c900a0d1ff 100644
--- a/arch/sparc/kernel/ldc.c
+++ b/arch/sparc/kernel/ldc.c
@@ -1336,7 +1336,7 @@ int ldc_connect(struct ldc_channel *lp)
 	if (!(lp->flags & LDC_FLAG_ALLOCED_QUEUES) ||
 	    !(lp->flags & LDC_FLAG_REGISTERED_QUEUES) ||
 	    lp->hs_state != LDC_HS_OPEN)
-		err = -EINVAL;
+		err = ((lp->hs_state > LDC_HS_OPEN) ? 0 : -EINVAL);
 	else
 		err = start_handshake(lp);