diff --git a/drivers/scsi/hosts.c b/drivers/scsi/hosts.c
index 604cf3385aae..b6a9773326e3 100644
--- a/drivers/scsi/hosts.c
+++ b/drivers/scsi/hosts.c
@@ -515,6 +515,7 @@ struct Scsi_Host *scsi_host_alloc(struct scsi_host_template *sht, int privsize)
 		shost_printk(KERN_WARNING, shost,
 			"error handler thread failed to spawn, error = %ld\n",
 			PTR_ERR(shost->ehandler));
+		shost->ehandler = NULL;
 		goto fail;
 	}