diff --git a/ui/vnc.c b/ui/vnc.c
index 7fc40acae8..c7a18311f0 100644
--- a/ui/vnc.c
+++ b/ui/vnc.c
@@ -1184,7 +1184,7 @@ void vnc_client_write(void *opaque)
     vnc_lock_output(vs);
     if (vs->output.offset) {
         vnc_client_write_locked(opaque);
-    } else {
+    } else if (vs->csock != -1) {
         qemu_set_fd_handler2(vs->csock, NULL, vnc_client_read, NULL, vs);
     }
     vnc_unlock_output(vs);