diff --git a/qemu-char.c b/qemu-char.c
index 16f3ad77de24bee635399d413de41417b7d296b1..1be1cf676eef7dbf2ec41d10e76d2ab255023d2f 100644
--- a/qemu-char.c
+++ b/qemu-char.c
@@ -1142,8 +1142,8 @@ static void pty_chr_state(CharDriverState *chr, int connected)
             s->timer_tag = 0;
         }
         if (!s->connected) {
-            qemu_chr_be_generic_open(chr);
             s->connected = 1;
+            qemu_chr_be_generic_open(chr);
             s->fd_tag = io_add_watch_poll(s->fd, pty_chr_read_poll, pty_chr_read, chr);
         }
     }