diff --git a/ssh2connection.c b/ssh2connection.c
index e49ab076..e4a2ede0 100644
--- a/ssh2connection.c
+++ b/ssh2connection.c
@@ -2480,7 +2480,7 @@ static int ssh2_connection_want_user_input(PacketProtocolLayer *ppl)
 {
     struct ssh2_connection_state *s =
         FROMFIELD(ppl, struct ssh2_connection_state, ppl);
-    return s->want_user_input;
+    return s->mainchan_ready && s->want_user_input;
 }
 
 static void ssh2_connection_got_user_input(PacketProtocolLayer *ppl)