diff --git a/chardev/char-socket.c b/chardev/char-socket.c
index 17519ec589..efbad6ee7c 100644
--- a/chardev/char-socket.c
+++ b/chardev/char-socket.c
@@ -134,8 +134,11 @@ static int tcp_chr_write(Chardev *chr, const uint8_t *buf, int len)
                                         s->write_msgfds,
                                         s->write_msgfds_num);
 
-        /* free the written msgfds in any cases other than errno==EAGAIN */
-        if (EAGAIN != errno && s->write_msgfds_num) {
+        /* free the written msgfds in any cases
+         * other than ret < 0 && errno == EAGAIN
+         */
+        if (!(ret < 0 && EAGAIN == errno)
+            && s->write_msgfds_num) {
             g_free(s->write_msgfds);
             s->write_msgfds = 0;
             s->write_msgfds_num = 0;