diff --git a/migration/migration.c b/migration/migration.c
index 4372b0fbbf..f6c0250d33 100644
--- a/migration/migration.c
+++ b/migration/migration.c
@@ -2061,6 +2061,14 @@ static int open_return_path_on_source(MigrationState *ms,
 /* Returns 0 if the RP was ok, otherwise there was an error on the RP */
 static int await_return_path_close_on_source(MigrationState *ms)
 {
+    int ret;
+
+    if (!ms->rp_state.rp_thread_created) {
+        return 0;
+    }
+
+    trace_migration_return_path_end_before();
+
     /*
      * If this is a normal exit then the destination will send a SHUT
      * and the rp_thread will exit, however if there's an error we
@@ -2078,7 +2086,10 @@ static int await_return_path_close_on_source(MigrationState *ms)
     qemu_thread_join(&ms->rp_state.rp_thread);
     ms->rp_state.rp_thread_created = false;
     trace_await_return_path_close_on_source_close();
-    return ms->rp_state.error;
+
+    ret = ms->rp_state.error;
+    trace_migration_return_path_end_after(ret);
+    return ret;
 }
 
 static inline void
@@ -2374,20 +2385,8 @@ static void migration_completion(MigrationState *s)
         goto fail;
     }
 
-    /*
-     * If rp was opened we must clean up the thread before
-     * cleaning everything else up (since if there are no failures
-     * it will wait for the destination to send it's status in
-     * a SHUT command).
-     */
-    if (s->rp_state.rp_thread_created) {
-        int rp_error;
-        trace_migration_return_path_end_before();
-        rp_error = await_return_path_close_on_source(s);
-        trace_migration_return_path_end_after(rp_error);
-        if (rp_error) {
-            goto fail;
-        }
+    if (await_return_path_close_on_source(s)) {
+        goto fail;
     }
 
     if (qemu_file_get_error(s->to_dst_file)) {