diff --git a/ui/vnc.c b/ui/vnc.c
index cdeb79c3cc..f2701e5974 100644
--- a/ui/vnc.c
+++ b/ui/vnc.c
@@ -1256,12 +1256,13 @@ ssize_t vnc_client_io_error(VncState *vs, ssize_t ret, Error **errp)
     if (ret <= 0) {
         if (ret == 0) {
             VNC_DEBUG("Closing down client sock: EOF\n");
+            vnc_disconnect_start(vs);
         } else if (ret != QIO_CHANNEL_ERR_BLOCK) {
             VNC_DEBUG("Closing down client sock: ret %zd (%s)\n",
                       ret, errp ? error_get_pretty(*errp) : "Unknown");
+            vnc_disconnect_start(vs);
         }
 
-        vnc_disconnect_start(vs);
         if (errp) {
             error_free(*errp);
             *errp = NULL;