diff --git a/net/ipv4/inet_connection_sock.c b/net/ipv4/inet_connection_sock.c
index 457f619a34610..0f9085220ecf9 100644
--- a/net/ipv4/inet_connection_sock.c
+++ b/net/ipv4/inet_connection_sock.c
@@ -934,6 +934,7 @@ int inet_csk_listen_start(struct sock *sk, int backlog)
 	 * It is OK, because this socket enters to hash table only
 	 * after validation is complete.
 	 */
+	err = -EADDRINUSE;
 	inet_sk_state_store(sk, TCP_LISTEN);
 	if (!sk->sk_prot->get_port(sk, inet->inet_num)) {
 		inet->inet_sport = htons(inet->inet_num);