diff --git a/drivers/char/virtio_console.c b/drivers/char/virtio_console.c
index e4845f1c9a0b..fc45567ad3ac 100644
--- a/drivers/char/virtio_console.c
+++ b/drivers/char/virtio_console.c
@@ -749,6 +749,10 @@ static ssize_t port_fops_read(struct file *filp, char __user *ubuf,
 
 	port = filp->private_data;
 
+	/* Port is hot-unplugged. */
+	if (!port->guest_connected)
+		return -ENODEV;
+
 	if (!port_has_data(port)) {
 		/*
 		 * If nothing's connected on the host just return 0 in
@@ -765,7 +769,7 @@ static ssize_t port_fops_read(struct file *filp, char __user *ubuf,
 		if (ret < 0)
 			return ret;
 	}
-	/* Port got hot-unplugged. */
+	/* Port got hot-unplugged while we were waiting above. */
 	if (!port->guest_connected)
 		return -ENODEV;
 	/*