bool     destroy;
        bool     drain_notify;
-       bool     open_sub_channel;
        atomic_t num_outstanding_req;
        struct Scsi_Host *host;
 
 static void handle_sc_creation(struct vmbus_channel *new_sc)
 {
        struct hv_device *device = new_sc->primary_channel->device_obj;
+       struct device *dev = &device->device;
        struct storvsc_device *stor_device;
        struct vmstorage_channel_properties props;
+       int ret;
 
        stor_device = get_out_stor_device(device);
        if (!stor_device)
                return;
 
-       if (stor_device->open_sub_channel == false)
-               return;
-
        memset(&props, 0, sizeof(struct vmstorage_channel_properties));
 
-       vmbus_open(new_sc,
-                  storvsc_ringbuffer_size,
-                  storvsc_ringbuffer_size,
-                  (void *)&props,
-                  sizeof(struct vmstorage_channel_properties),
-                  storvsc_on_channel_callback, new_sc);
+       ret = vmbus_open(new_sc,
+                        storvsc_ringbuffer_size,
+                        storvsc_ringbuffer_size,
+                        (void *)&props,
+                        sizeof(struct vmstorage_channel_properties),
+                        storvsc_on_channel_callback, new_sc);
 
-       if (new_sc->state == CHANNEL_OPENED_STATE) {
-               stor_device->stor_chns[new_sc->target_cpu] = new_sc;
-               cpumask_set_cpu(new_sc->target_cpu, &stor_device->alloced_cpus);
+       /* In case vmbus_open() fails, we don't use the sub-channel. */
+       if (ret != 0) {
+               dev_err(dev, "Failed to open sub-channel: err=%d\n", ret);
+               return;
        }
+
+       /* Add the sub-channel to the array of available channels. */
+       stor_device->stor_chns[new_sc->target_cpu] = new_sc;
+       cpumask_set_cpu(new_sc->target_cpu, &stor_device->alloced_cpus);
 }
 
 static void  handle_multichannel_storage(struct hv_device *device, int max_chns)
 {
+       struct device *dev = &device->device;
        struct storvsc_device *stor_device;
        int num_cpus = num_online_cpus();
        int num_sc;
        request = &stor_device->init_request;
        vstor_packet = &request->vstor_packet;
 
-       stor_device->open_sub_channel = true;
        /*
         * Establish a handler for dealing with subchannels.
         */
        vmbus_set_sc_create_callback(device->channel, handle_sc_creation);
 
-       /*
-        * Check to see if sub-channels have already been created. This
-        * can happen when this driver is re-loaded after unloading.
-        */
-
-       if (vmbus_are_subchannels_present(device->channel))
-               return;
-
-       stor_device->open_sub_channel = false;
        /*
         * Request the host to create sub-channels.
         */
                               VM_PKT_DATA_INBAND,
                               VMBUS_DATA_PACKET_FLAG_COMPLETION_REQUESTED);
 
-       if (ret != 0)
+       if (ret != 0) {
+               dev_err(dev, "Failed to create sub-channel: err=%d\n", ret);
                return;
+       }
 
        t = wait_for_completion_timeout(&request->wait_event, 10*HZ);
-       if (t == 0)
+       if (t == 0) {
+               dev_err(dev, "Failed to create sub-channel: timed out\n");
                return;
+       }
 
        if (vstor_packet->operation != VSTOR_OPERATION_COMPLETE_IO ||
-           vstor_packet->status != 0)
+           vstor_packet->status != 0) {
+               dev_err(dev, "Failed to create sub-channel: op=%d, sts=%d\n",
+                       vstor_packet->operation, vstor_packet->status);
                return;
+       }
 
        /*
-        * Now that we created the sub-channels, invoke the check; this
-        * may trigger the callback.
+        * We need to do nothing here, because vmbus_process_offer()
+        * invokes channel->sc_creation_callback, which will open and use
+        * the sub-channel(s).
         */
-       stor_device->open_sub_channel = true;
-       vmbus_are_subchannels_present(device->channel);
 }
 
 static void cache_wwn(struct storvsc_device *stor_device,
        }
 
        stor_device->destroy = false;
-       stor_device->open_sub_channel = false;
        init_waitqueue_head(&stor_device->waiting_to_drain);
        stor_device->device = device;
        stor_device->host = host;