diff --git a/util/src/main/java/io/grpc/util/GracefulSwitchLoadBalancer.java b/util/src/main/java/io/grpc/util/GracefulSwitchLoadBalancer.java
index 72c41886ad..e36eec1ff2 100644
--- a/util/src/main/java/io/grpc/util/GracefulSwitchLoadBalancer.java
+++ b/util/src/main/java/io/grpc/util/GracefulSwitchLoadBalancer.java
@@ -38,7 +38,8 @@ import javax.annotation.concurrent.NotThreadSafe;
 /**
  * A load balancer that gracefully swaps to a new lb policy. If the channel is currently in a state
  * other than READY, the new policy will be swapped into place immediately.  Otherwise, the channel
- * will keep using the old policy until the new policy reports READY or the old policy exits READY.
+ * will keep using the old policy until the new policy leaves CONNECTING or the old policy exits
+ * READY.
  *
  * <p>The child balancer and configuration is specified using service config. Config objects are
  * generally created by calling {@link #parseLoadBalancingPolicyConfig(List)} from a
@@ -147,7 +148,7 @@ public final class GracefulSwitchLoadBalancer extends ForwardingLoadBalancer {
           checkState(currentLbIsReady, "there's pending lb while current lb has been out of READY");
           pendingState = newState;
           pendingPicker = newPicker;
-          if (newState == ConnectivityState.READY) {
+          if (newState != ConnectivityState.CONNECTING) {
             swap();
           }
         } else if (lb == currentLb) {
diff --git a/util/src/test/java/io/grpc/util/GracefulSwitchLoadBalancerTest.java b/util/src/test/java/io/grpc/util/GracefulSwitchLoadBalancerTest.java
index 9a4f569c14..5192d6a2a6 100644
--- a/util/src/test/java/io/grpc/util/GracefulSwitchLoadBalancerTest.java
+++ b/util/src/test/java/io/grpc/util/GracefulSwitchLoadBalancerTest.java
@@ -18,6 +18,7 @@ package io.grpc.util;
 
 import static com.google.common.truth.Truth.assertThat;
 import static io.grpc.ConnectivityState.CONNECTING;
+import static io.grpc.ConnectivityState.IDLE;
 import static io.grpc.ConnectivityState.READY;
 import static io.grpc.ConnectivityState.TRANSIENT_FAILURE;
 import static io.grpc.util.GracefulSwitchLoadBalancer.BUFFER_PICKER;
@@ -32,6 +33,7 @@ import static org.mockito.Mockito.verifyNoMoreInteractions;
 import static org.mockito.Mockito.when;
 
 import com.google.common.testing.EqualsTester;
+import io.grpc.ConnectivityState;
 import io.grpc.ConnectivityStateInfo;
 import io.grpc.EquivalentAddressGroup;
 import io.grpc.LoadBalancer;
@@ -363,7 +365,21 @@ public class GracefulSwitchLoadBalancerTest {
   }
 
   @Test
-  public void updateBalancingStateIsGraceful() {
+  public void updateBalancingStateIsGraceful_Ready() {
+    updateBalancingStateIsGraceful(READY);
+  }
+
+  @Test
+  public void updateBalancingStateIsGraceful_TransientFailure() {
+    updateBalancingStateIsGraceful(TRANSIENT_FAILURE);
+  }
+
+  @Test
+  public void updateBalancingStateIsGraceful_Idle() {
+    updateBalancingStateIsGraceful(IDLE);
+  }
+
+  public void updateBalancingStateIsGraceful(ConnectivityState swapsOnState) {
     assertIsOk(gracefulSwitchLb.acceptResolvedAddresses(addressesBuilder()
         .setLoadBalancingPolicyConfig(createConfig(lbPolicies[0], new Object()))
         .build()));
@@ -392,11 +408,11 @@ public class GracefulSwitchLoadBalancerTest {
     helper2.updateBalancingState(CONNECTING, picker);
     verify(mockHelper, never()).updateBalancingState(CONNECTING, picker);
 
-    // lb2 reports READY
+    // lb2 reports swapsOnState
     SubchannelPicker picker2 = mock(SubchannelPicker.class);
-    helper2.updateBalancingState(READY, picker2);
+    helper2.updateBalancingState(swapsOnState, picker2);
     verify(lb0).shutdown();
-    verify(mockHelper).updateBalancingState(READY, picker2);
+    verify(mockHelper).updateBalancingState(swapsOnState, picker2);
 
     assertIsOk(gracefulSwitchLb.acceptResolvedAddresses(addressesBuilder()
         .setLoadBalancingPolicyConfig(createConfig(lbPolicies[3], new Object()))
@@ -407,7 +423,7 @@ public class GracefulSwitchLoadBalancerTest {
     helper3.updateBalancingState(CONNECTING, picker3);
     verify(mockHelper, never()).updateBalancingState(CONNECTING, picker3);
 
-    // lb2 out of READY
+    // lb2 out of swapsOnState
     picker2 = mock(SubchannelPicker.class);
     helper2.updateBalancingState(CONNECTING, picker2);
     verify(mockHelper, never()).updateBalancingState(CONNECTING, picker2);