diff --git a/net/ipv4/tcp_ulp.c b/net/ipv4/tcp_ulp.c
index b5d707a5a31b..8e135af0d4f7 100644
--- a/net/ipv4/tcp_ulp.c
+++ b/net/ipv4/tcp_ulp.c
@@ -136,7 +136,7 @@ static int __tcp_set_ulp(struct sock *sk, const struct tcp_ulp_ops *ulp_ops)
 	if (icsk->icsk_ulp_ops)
 		goto out_err;
 
-	err = -EINVAL;
+	err = -ENOTCONN;
 	if (!ulp_ops->clone && sk->sk_state == TCP_LISTEN)
 		goto out_err;