diff --git a/bin/install_upgrade.escript b/bin/install_upgrade.escript
index ae89ea724..2489ceed5 100755
--- a/bin/install_upgrade.escript
+++ b/bin/install_upgrade.escript
@@ -392,8 +392,7 @@ start_distribution(TargetNode, NameTypeArg, Cookie) ->
     MyNode = make_script_node(TargetNode),
     {ok, _Pid} = net_kernel:start([MyNode, get_name_type(NameTypeArg)]),
     erlang:set_cookie(node(), Cookie),
-    case {net_kernel:connect_node(TargetNode),
-          net_adm:ping(TargetNode)} of
+    case {net_kernel:hidden_connect_node(TargetNode), net_adm:ping(TargetNode)} of
         {true, pong} ->
             ok;
         {_, pang} ->