diff --git a/drivers/tty/tty_io.c b/drivers/tty/tty_io.c
index 0425170d9ed6..767ecbb4761a 100644
--- a/drivers/tty/tty_io.c
+++ b/drivers/tty/tty_io.c
@@ -1821,7 +1821,7 @@ int tty_release(struct inode *inode, struct file *filp)
 
 static int tty_open(struct inode *inode, struct file *filp)
 {
-	struct tty_struct *tty;
+	struct tty_struct *tty = NULL;
 	int noctty, retval;
 	struct tty_driver *driver;
 	int index;
@@ -1892,14 +1892,17 @@ retry_open:
 		return -ENODEV;
 	}
 got_driver:
-	/* check whether we're reopening an existing tty */
-	tty = tty_driver_lookup_tty(driver, inode, index);
-	if (IS_ERR(tty)) {
-		tty_unlock();
-		mutex_unlock(&tty_mutex);
-		tty_driver_kref_put(driver);
-		tty_free_file(filp);
-		return PTR_ERR(tty);
+	if (!tty) {
+		/* check whether we're reopening an existing tty */
+		tty = tty_driver_lookup_tty(driver, inode, index);
+
+		if (IS_ERR(tty)) {
+			tty_unlock();
+			mutex_unlock(&tty_mutex);
+			tty_driver_kref_put(driver);
+			tty_free_file(filp);
+			return PTR_ERR(tty);
+		}
 	}
 
 	if (tty) {