diff --git a/lib/isc/netmgr/tcp.c b/lib/isc/netmgr/tcp.c
index d0ce958278..ab2651522a 100644
--- a/lib/isc/netmgr/tcp.c
+++ b/lib/isc/netmgr/tcp.c
@@ -431,8 +431,16 @@ isc_nm_listentcp(isc_nm_t *mgr, uint32_t workers, isc_sockaddr_t *iface,
 		isc__nm_closesocket(fd);
 	}
 
+	/*
+	 * If any of the child sockets have failed then isc_nm_listentcp
+	 * fails.
+	 */
 	for (size_t i = 1; i < sock->nchildren; i++) {
-		INSIST(result == sock->children[i].result);
+		if (result == ISC_R_SUCCESS &&
+		    sock->children[i].result != ISC_R_SUCCESS)
+		{
+			result = sock->children[i].result;
+		}
 	}
 
 	atomic_store(&sock->active, true);