diff --git a/tools/testing/selftests/vsock/vmtest.sh b/tools/testing/selftests/vsock/vmtest.sh
index bc16b13cdbe3..01ce16523afb 100755
--- a/tools/testing/selftests/vsock/vmtest.sh
+++ b/tools/testing/selftests/vsock/vmtest.sh
@@ -251,9 +251,11 @@ wait_for_listener()
 
 	# for tcp protocol additionally check the socket state
 	[ "${protocol}" = "tcp" ] && pattern="${pattern}0A"
+
 	for i in $(seq "${max_intervals}"); do
-		if awk '{print $2" "$4}' /proc/net/"${protocol}"* | \
-		   grep -q "${pattern}"; then
+		if awk -v pattern="${pattern}" \
+			'BEGIN {rc=1} $2" "$4 ~ pattern {rc=0} END {exit rc}' \
+			/proc/net/"${protocol}"*; then
 			break
 		fi
 		sleep "${interval}"