diff --git a/hw/block/vhost-user-blk.c b/hw/block/vhost-user-blk.c
index ba13cb87e5..f9b17f6813 100644
--- a/hw/block/vhost-user-blk.c
+++ b/hw/block/vhost-user-blk.c
@@ -511,7 +511,7 @@ static void vhost_user_blk_device_realize(DeviceState *dev, Error **errp)
             *errp = NULL;
         }
         ret = vhost_user_blk_realize_connect(s, errp);
-    } while (ret == -EPROTO && retries--);
+    } while (ret < 0 && retries--);
 
     if (ret < 0) {
         goto virtio_err;