diff --git a/net/vmw_vsock/af_vsock.c b/net/vmw_vsock/af_vsock.c
index f04abf662ec6..ea82807da599 100644
--- a/net/vmw_vsock/af_vsock.c
+++ b/net/vmw_vsock/af_vsock.c
@@ -1391,7 +1391,8 @@ static int vsock_connect(struct socket *sock, struct sockaddr *addr,
 			 * timeout fires.
 			 */
 			sock_hold(sk);
-			schedule_delayed_work(&vsk->connect_work, timeout);
+			if (mod_delayed_work(system_wq, &vsk->connect_work, timeout))
+				sock_put(sk);
 
 			/* Skip ahead to preserve error code set above. */
 			goto out_wait;