diff --git a/drivers/vfio/vfio_main.c b/drivers/vfio/vfio_main.c
index 6222376ab6ab..5e0422014523 100644
--- a/drivers/vfio/vfio_main.c
+++ b/drivers/vfio/vfio_main.c
@@ -858,7 +858,8 @@ int vfio_mig_get_next_state(struct vfio_device *device,
 	 * logical state, as per the above comment.
 	 */
 	*next_fsm = vfio_from_fsm_table[cur_fsm][new_fsm];
-	while ((state_flags_table[*next_fsm] & device->migration_flags) !=
+	while (*next_fsm != VFIO_DEVICE_STATE_ERROR &&
+	       (state_flags_table[*next_fsm] & device->migration_flags) !=
 			state_flags_table[*next_fsm])
 		*next_fsm = vfio_from_fsm_table[*next_fsm][new_fsm];