diff --git a/module/zfs/spa.c b/module/zfs/spa.c
index 2625479f19..1ed79eed3e 100644
--- a/module/zfs/spa.c
+++ b/module/zfs/spa.c
@@ -5336,13 +5336,15 @@ spa_add_spares(spa_t *spa, nvlist_t *config)
 		for (i = 0; i < nspares; i++) {
 			guid = fnvlist_lookup_uint64(spares[i],
 			    ZPOOL_CONFIG_GUID);
+			VERIFY0(nvlist_lookup_uint64_array(spares[i],
+			    ZPOOL_CONFIG_VDEV_STATS, (uint64_t **)&vs, &vsc));
 			if (spa_spare_exists(guid, &pool, NULL) &&
 			    pool != 0ULL) {
-				VERIFY0(nvlist_lookup_uint64_array(spares[i],
-				    ZPOOL_CONFIG_VDEV_STATS, (uint64_t **)&vs,
-				    &vsc));
 				vs->vs_state = VDEV_STATE_CANT_OPEN;
 				vs->vs_aux = VDEV_AUX_SPARED;
+			} else {
+				vs->vs_state =
+				    spa->spa_spares.sav_vdevs[i]->vdev_state;
 			}
 		}
 	}