diff --git a/fs/nfs/client.c b/fs/nfs/client.c
index e3baa9f1da76..06e8719655f0 100644
--- a/fs/nfs/client.c
+++ b/fs/nfs/client.c
@@ -284,6 +284,7 @@ static struct nfs_client *nfs_match_client(const struct nfs_client_initdata *dat
 	struct nfs_client *clp;
 	const struct sockaddr *sap = data->addr;
 	struct nfs_net *nn = net_generic(data->net, nfs_net_id);
+	int error;
 
 again:
 	list_for_each_entry(clp, &nn->nfs_client_list, cl_share_link) {
@@ -296,8 +297,10 @@ static struct nfs_client *nfs_match_client(const struct nfs_client_initdata *dat
 		if (clp->cl_cons_state > NFS_CS_READY) {
 			refcount_inc(&clp->cl_count);
 			spin_unlock(&nn->nfs_client_lock);
-			nfs_wait_client_init_complete(clp);
+			error = nfs_wait_client_init_complete(clp);
 			nfs_put_client(clp);
+			if (error < 0)
+				return ERR_PTR(error);
 			spin_lock(&nn->nfs_client_lock);
 			goto again;
 		}
@@ -407,6 +410,8 @@ struct nfs_client *nfs_get_client(const struct nfs_client_initdata *cl_init)
 		clp = nfs_match_client(cl_init);
 		if (clp) {
 			spin_unlock(&nn->nfs_client_lock);
+			if (IS_ERR(clp))
+				return clp;
 			if (new)
 				new->rpc_ops->free_client(new);
 			return nfs_found_client(cl_init, clp);