diff --git a/net/mptcp/protocol.c b/net/mptcp/protocol.c
index 3c19a8efdcead..ddeb840acd290 100644
--- a/net/mptcp/protocol.c
+++ b/net/mptcp/protocol.c
@@ -920,6 +920,14 @@ static int mptcp_stream_connect(struct socket *sock, struct sockaddr *uaddr,
 	int err;
 
 	lock_sock(sock->sk);
+	if (sock->state != SS_UNCONNECTED && msk->subflow) {
+		/* pending connection or invalid state, let existing subflow
+		 * cope with that
+		 */
+		ssock = msk->subflow;
+		goto do_connect;
+	}
+
 	ssock = __mptcp_socket_create(msk, TCP_SYN_SENT);
 	if (IS_ERR(ssock)) {
 		err = PTR_ERR(ssock);
@@ -934,9 +942,17 @@ static int mptcp_stream_connect(struct socket *sock, struct sockaddr *uaddr,
 		mptcp_subflow_ctx(ssock->sk)->request_mptcp = 0;
 #endif
 
+do_connect:
 	err = ssock->ops->connect(ssock, uaddr, addr_len, flags);
-	inet_sk_state_store(sock->sk, inet_sk_state_load(ssock->sk));
-	mptcp_copy_inaddrs(sock->sk, ssock->sk);
+	sock->state = ssock->state;
+
+	/* on successful connect, the msk state will be moved to established by
+	 * subflow_finish_connect()
+	 */
+	if (!err || err == EINPROGRESS)
+		mptcp_copy_inaddrs(sock->sk, ssock->sk);
+	else
+		inet_sk_state_store(sock->sk, inet_sk_state_load(ssock->sk));
 
 unlock:
 	release_sock(sock->sk);