diff --git a/lib/iscsi/conn.c b/lib/iscsi/conn.c
index 972faa2c6..269d2bacf 100644
--- a/lib/iscsi/conn.c
+++ b/lib/iscsi/conn.c
@@ -1491,7 +1491,9 @@ logout_timeout(void *arg)
 {
 	struct spdk_iscsi_conn *conn = arg;
 
-	spdk_iscsi_conn_destruct(conn);
+	if (conn->state < ISCSI_CONN_STATE_EXITING) {
+		conn->state = ISCSI_CONN_STATE_EXITING;
+	}
 
 	return -1;
 }