diff --git a/blockdev-nbd.c b/blockdev-nbd.c
index bcdd18b3f6..4a758ac314 100644
--- a/blockdev-nbd.c
+++ b/blockdev-nbd.c
@@ -27,9 +27,8 @@ static void nbd_accept(void *opaque)
     socklen_t addr_len = sizeof(addr);
 
     int fd = accept(server_fd, (struct sockaddr *)&addr, &addr_len);
-    if (fd >= 0 && !nbd_client_new(NULL, fd, nbd_client_put)) {
-        shutdown(fd, 2);
-        close(fd);
+    if (fd >= 0) {
+        nbd_client_new(NULL, fd, nbd_client_put);
     }
 }
 
diff --git a/include/block/nbd.h b/include/block/nbd.h
index 65f409d804..7eccb41da8 100644
--- a/include/block/nbd.h
+++ b/include/block/nbd.h
@@ -98,8 +98,7 @@ NBDExport *nbd_export_find(const char *name);
 void nbd_export_set_name(NBDExport *exp, const char *name);
 void nbd_export_close_all(void);
 
-NBDClient *nbd_client_new(NBDExport *exp, int csock,
-                          void (*close)(NBDClient *));
+void nbd_client_new(NBDExport *exp, int csock, void (*close_fn)(NBDClient *));
 void nbd_client_get(NBDClient *client);
 void nbd_client_put(NBDClient *client);
 
diff --git a/nbd.c b/nbd.c
index b3d9654499..f8d0221da1 100644
--- a/nbd.c
+++ b/nbd.c
@@ -1475,8 +1475,7 @@ static void nbd_update_can_read(NBDClient *client)
     }
 }
 
-NBDClient *nbd_client_new(NBDExport *exp, int csock,
-                          void (*close)(NBDClient *))
+void nbd_client_new(NBDExport *exp, int csock, void (*close_fn)(NBDClient *))
 {
     NBDClient *client;
     client = g_malloc0(sizeof(NBDClient));
@@ -1485,10 +1484,11 @@ NBDClient *nbd_client_new(NBDExport *exp, int csock,
     client->sock = csock;
     client->can_read = true;
     if (nbd_send_negotiate(client)) {
-        g_free(client);
-        return NULL;
+        shutdown(client->sock, 2);
+        close_fn(client);
+        return;
     }
-    client->close = close;
+    client->close = close_fn;
     qemu_co_mutex_init(&client->send_lock);
     nbd_set_handlers(client);
 
@@ -1496,5 +1496,4 @@ NBDClient *nbd_client_new(NBDExport *exp, int csock,
         QTAILQ_INSERT_TAIL(&exp->clients, client, next);
         nbd_export_get(exp);
     }
-    return client;
 }
diff --git a/qemu-nbd.c b/qemu-nbd.c
index a4cf847976..ede4a54d4e 100644
--- a/qemu-nbd.c
+++ b/qemu-nbd.c
@@ -333,13 +333,9 @@ static void nbd_accept(void *opaque)
         return;
     }
 
-    if (nbd_client_new(exp, fd, nbd_client_closed)) {
-        nb_fds++;
-        nbd_update_server_fd_handler(server_fd);
-    } else {
-        shutdown(fd, 2);
-        close(fd);
-    }
+    nb_fds++;
+    nbd_update_server_fd_handler(server_fd);
+    nbd_client_new(exp, fd, nbd_client_closed);
 }
 
 static void nbd_update_server_fd_handler(int fd)