diff --git a/zookeeper-server/src/main/java/org/apache/zookeeper/client/ZooKeeperSaslClient.java b/zookeeper-server/src/main/java/org/apache/zookeeper/client/ZooKeeperSaslClient.java
index b0598bca87f..568301ea68b 100644
--- a/zookeeper-server/src/main/java/org/apache/zookeeper/client/ZooKeeperSaslClient.java
+++ b/zookeeper-server/src/main/java/org/apache/zookeeper/client/ZooKeeperSaslClient.java
@@ -355,6 +355,7 @@ private void sendSaslPacket(byte[] saslToken, ClientCnxn cnxn) throws SaslExcept
         try {
             cnxn.sendPacket(request, response, cb, ZooDefs.OpCode.sasl);
         } catch (IOException e) {
+            saslState = SaslState.FAILED;
             throw new SaslException("Failed to send SASL packet to server.", e);
         }
     }
@@ -369,6 +370,7 @@ private void sendSaslPacket(ClientCnxn cnxn) throws SaslException {
         try {
             cnxn.sendPacket(request, response, cb, ZooDefs.OpCode.sasl);
         } catch (IOException e) {
+            saslState = SaslState.FAILED;
             throw new SaslException("Failed to send SASL packet to server due " + "to IOException:", e);
         }
     }