diff --git a/src/calibre/devices/smart_device_app/driver.py b/src/calibre/devices/smart_device_app/driver.py
index 05f316cb35..9d5bb6468b 100644
--- a/src/calibre/devices/smart_device_app/driver.py
+++ b/src/calibre/devices/smart_device_app/driver.py
@@ -130,17 +130,17 @@ class ConnectionListener(Thread):
                         getattr(self.driver, 'listen_socket', None) is not None:
                 ans = select.select((self.driver.listen_socket,), (), (), 0)
                 if len(ans[0]) > 0:
-                    # timeout in 10 ms to detect rare case where the socket went
-                    # way between the select and the accept
+                    # timeout in 10 ms to detect rare case where the socket goes
+                    # away between the select and the accept
                     try:
                         self.driver._debug('attempt to open device socket')
                         device_socket = None
                         self.driver.listen_socket.settimeout(0.010)
                         device_socket, ign = eintr_retry_call(
                                 self.driver.listen_socket.accept)
+                        set_socket_inherit(device_socket, False)
                         self.driver.listen_socket.settimeout(None)
                         device_socket.settimeout(None)
-                        set_socket_inherit(device_socket, False)
 
                         try:
                             self.driver.connection_queue.put_nowait(device_socket)