diff --git a/migration/migration.c b/migration/migration.c
index 3ff85098d5..edb8ff0d46 100644
--- a/migration/migration.c
+++ b/migration/migration.c
@@ -2878,8 +2878,9 @@ static int postcopy_start(MigrationState *ms, Error **errp)
 fail_closefb:
     qemu_fclose(fb);
 fail:
-    migrate_set_state(&ms->state, MIGRATION_STATUS_POSTCOPY_ACTIVE,
-                          MIGRATION_STATUS_FAILED);
+    if (ms->state != MIGRATION_STATUS_CANCELLING) {
+        migrate_set_state(&ms->state, ms->state, MIGRATION_STATUS_FAILED);
+    }
     migration_block_activate(NULL);
     migration_call_notifiers(ms, MIG_EVENT_PRECOPY_FAILED, NULL);
     bql_unlock();