diff --git a/libmultipath/discovery.c b/libmultipath/discovery.c
index efc2016..689ae9f 100644
--- a/libmultipath/discovery.c
+++ b/libmultipath/discovery.c
@@ -639,6 +639,7 @@ get_prio (struct path * pp)
 	}
 	if (!pp->getprio) {
 		pp->priority = 1;
+		pp->prio_valid = 1;
 	} else if (apply_format(pp->getprio, &buff[0], pp)) {
 		condlog(0, "error formatting prio callout command");
 		pp->priority = -1;
@@ -647,8 +648,10 @@ get_prio (struct path * pp)
 		condlog(0, "error calling out %s", buff);
 		pp->priority = -1;
 		return 1;
-	} else
+	} else {
 		pp->priority = atoi(prio);
+		pp->prio_valid = 1;
+	}
 
 	condlog(3, "%s: prio = %u", pp->dev, pp->priority);
 	return 0;
@@ -701,7 +704,12 @@ pathinfo (struct path *pp, vector hwtabl
 	if (mask & DI_CHECKER && get_state(pp))
 		goto blank;
 	
-	if (mask & DI_PRIO && pp->state != PATH_DOWN)
+
+	/*
+	 * Retrieve path priority for even PATH_DOWN paths if it has never
+	 * been successfully obtained before.
+	 */
+	if (mask & DI_PRIO && ((pp->state != PATH_DOWN) || !pp->prio_valid))
 		get_prio(pp);
 
 	if (mask & DI_WWID && !strlen(pp->wwid))