diff --git a/fs/nfs/nfs4state.c b/fs/nfs/nfs4state.c
index c60b3a1f6d2b..2ee30ffeb6b9 100644
--- a/fs/nfs/nfs4state.c
+++ b/fs/nfs/nfs4state.c
@@ -1224,6 +1224,8 @@ void nfs4_schedule_state_manager(struct nfs_client *clp)
 	if (IS_ERR(task)) {
 		printk(KERN_ERR "%s: kthread_run: %ld\n",
 			__func__, PTR_ERR(task));
+		if (!nfs_client_init_is_complete(clp))
+			nfs_mark_client_ready(clp, PTR_ERR(task));
 		nfs4_clear_state_manager_bit(clp);
 		nfs_put_client(clp);
 		module_put(THIS_MODULE);