diff --git a/tools/testing/nvdimm/test/nfit.c b/tools/testing/nvdimm/test/nfit.c
index cad719876ef4..85ffdcfa596b 100644
--- a/tools/testing/nvdimm/test/nfit.c
+++ b/tools/testing/nvdimm/test/nfit.c
@@ -146,6 +146,7 @@ static int dimm_fail_cmd_code[ARRAY_SIZE(handle)];
 struct nfit_test_sec {
 	u8 state;
 	u8 ext_state;
+	u8 old_state;
 	u8 passphrase[32];
 	u8 master_passphrase[32];
 	u64 overwrite_end_time;
@@ -1100,7 +1101,7 @@ static int nd_intel_test_cmd_overwrite(struct nfit_test *t,
 		return 0;
 	}
 
-	memset(sec->passphrase, 0, ND_INTEL_PASSPHRASE_SIZE);
+	sec->old_state = sec->state;
 	sec->state = ND_INTEL_SEC_STATE_OVERWRITE;
 	dev_dbg(dev, "overwrite progressing.\n");
 	sec->overwrite_end_time = get_jiffies_64() + 5 * HZ;
@@ -1122,7 +1123,8 @@ static int nd_intel_test_cmd_query_overwrite(struct nfit_test *t,
 
 	if (time_is_before_jiffies64(sec->overwrite_end_time)) {
 		sec->overwrite_end_time = 0;
-		sec->state = 0;
+		sec->state = sec->old_state;
+		sec->old_state = 0;
 		sec->ext_state = ND_INTEL_SEC_ESTATE_ENABLED;
 		dev_dbg(dev, "overwrite is complete\n");
 	} else