diff --git a/include/linux/sunrpc/sched.h b/include/linux/sunrpc/sched.h
index 401097781fc0..1906782ec86b 100644
--- a/include/linux/sunrpc/sched.h
+++ b/include/linux/sunrpc/sched.h
@@ -130,12 +130,14 @@ struct rpc_task_setup {
 #define RPC_TASK_DYNAMIC	0x0080		/* task was kmalloc'ed */
 #define RPC_TASK_KILLED		0x0100		/* task was killed */
 #define RPC_TASK_SOFT		0x0200		/* Use soft timeouts */
+#define RPC_TASK_SOFTCONN	0x0400		/* Fail if can't connect */
 
 #define RPC_IS_ASYNC(t)		((t)->tk_flags & RPC_TASK_ASYNC)
 #define RPC_IS_SWAPPER(t)	((t)->tk_flags & RPC_TASK_SWAPPER)
 #define RPC_DO_ROOTOVERRIDE(t)	((t)->tk_flags & RPC_TASK_ROOTCREDS)
 #define RPC_ASSASSINATED(t)	((t)->tk_flags & RPC_TASK_KILLED)
 #define RPC_IS_SOFT(t)		((t)->tk_flags & RPC_TASK_SOFT)
+#define RPC_IS_SOFTCONN(t)	((t)->tk_flags & RPC_TASK_SOFTCONN)
 
 #define RPC_TASK_RUNNING	0
 #define RPC_TASK_QUEUED		1
diff --git a/net/sunrpc/clnt.c b/net/sunrpc/clnt.c
index 7bcd931e06ee..68a23583f44c 100644
--- a/net/sunrpc/clnt.c
+++ b/net/sunrpc/clnt.c
@@ -1197,6 +1197,8 @@ call_transmit_status(struct rpc_task *task)
 	default:
 		dprint_status(task);
 		xprt_end_transmit(task);
+		rpc_task_force_reencode(task);
+		break;
 		/*
 		 * Special cases: if we've been waiting on the
 		 * socket's write_space() callback, or if the
@@ -1204,11 +1206,16 @@ call_transmit_status(struct rpc_task *task)
 		 * then hold onto the transport lock.
 		 */
 	case -ECONNREFUSED:
-	case -ECONNRESET:
-	case -ENOTCONN:
 	case -EHOSTDOWN:
 	case -EHOSTUNREACH:
 	case -ENETUNREACH:
+		if (RPC_IS_SOFTCONN(task)) {
+			xprt_end_transmit(task);
+			rpc_exit(task, task->tk_status);
+			break;
+		}
+	case -ECONNRESET:
+	case -ENOTCONN:
 	case -EPIPE:
 		rpc_task_force_reencode(task);
 	}
diff --git a/net/sunrpc/xprtsock.c b/net/sunrpc/xprtsock.c
index 37c5475ba258..ff312f8b018d 100644
--- a/net/sunrpc/xprtsock.c
+++ b/net/sunrpc/xprtsock.c
@@ -2033,7 +2033,7 @@ static void xs_connect(struct rpc_task *task)
 	if (xprt_test_and_set_connecting(xprt))
 		return;
 
-	if (transport->sock != NULL) {
+	if (transport->sock != NULL && !RPC_IS_SOFTCONN(task)) {
 		dprintk("RPC:       xs_connect delayed xprt %p for %lu "
 				"seconds\n",
 				xprt, xprt->reestablish_timeout / HZ);