diff --git a/drivers/net/xen-netback/xenbus.c b/drivers/net/xen-netback/xenbus.c
index 9e61a6f29464..416305e6d093 100644
--- a/drivers/net/xen-netback/xenbus.c
+++ b/drivers/net/xen-netback/xenbus.c
@@ -979,11 +979,15 @@ static void connect(struct backend_info *be)
 	xenvif_carrier_on(be->vif);
 
 	unregister_hotplug_status_watch(be);
-	err = xenbus_watch_pathfmt(dev, &be->hotplug_status_watch, NULL,
-				   hotplug_status_changed,
-				   "%s/%s", dev->nodename, "hotplug-status");
-	if (!err)
+	if (xenbus_exists(XBT_NIL, dev->nodename, "hotplug-status")) {
+		err = xenbus_watch_pathfmt(dev, &be->hotplug_status_watch,
+					   NULL, hotplug_status_changed,
+					   "%s/%s", dev->nodename,
+					   "hotplug-status");
+		if (err)
+			goto err;
 		be->have_hotplug_status_watch = 1;
+	}
 
 	netif_tx_wake_all_queues(be->vif->dev);