diff --git a/migration/migration.c b/migration/migration.c
index 925103b61a..6a115d28b8 100644
--- a/migration/migration.c
+++ b/migration/migration.c
@@ -3627,11 +3627,7 @@ void migrate_fd_connect(MigrationState *s, Error *error_in)
     if (migrate_postcopy_ram() || migrate_return_path()) {
         if (open_return_path_on_source(s)) {
             error_setg(&local_err, "Unable to open return-path for postcopy");
-            migrate_set_state(&s->state, s->state, MIGRATION_STATUS_FAILED);
-            migrate_set_error(s, local_err);
-            error_report_err(local_err);
-            migrate_fd_cleanup(s);
-            return;
+            goto fail;
         }
     }
 
@@ -3660,6 +3656,13 @@ void migrate_fd_connect(MigrationState *s, Error *error_in)
                 migration_thread, s, QEMU_THREAD_JOINABLE);
     }
     s->migration_thread_running = true;
+    return;
+
+fail:
+    migrate_set_error(s, local_err);
+    migrate_set_state(&s->state, s->state, MIGRATION_STATUS_FAILED);
+    error_report_err(local_err);
+    migrate_fd_cleanup(s);
 }
 
 static void migration_class_init(ObjectClass *klass, void *data)