diff --git a/src/barebox-state.c b/src/barebox-state.c
index c2c1d32..07c516d 100644
--- a/src/barebox-state.c
+++ b/src/barebox-state.c
@@ -508,7 +508,7 @@
 
 	list_for_each_entry(state, &state_list.list, list) {
 		state->state = state_get(state->name, readonly);
-		if (!state->name)
+		if (!IS_ERR(state->state) && !state->name)
 			state->name = state->state->name;
 		if (IS_ERR(state->state)) {
 			ret = 1;