diff --git a/src/modem.c b/src/modem.c
index 01b0e356..2de8d982 100644
--- a/src/modem.c
+++ b/src/modem.c
@@ -2132,6 +2132,9 @@ void ofono_modem_reset(struct ofono_modem *modem)
 	if (err == -EINPROGRESS)
 		return;
 
+	if (err < 0)
+		return;
+
 	modem_change_state(modem, MODEM_STATE_PRE_SIM);
 }