diff --git a/src/libxl/libxl_driver.c b/src/libxl/libxl_driver.c
index 5b4874688c7cb68bbe963321ed60e6d1dff30c94..95f90ef4cc90214da7f88e158b3659ca2858b4fd 100644
--- a/src/libxl/libxl_driver.c
+++ b/src/libxl/libxl_driver.c
@@ -2128,12 +2128,6 @@ libxlDoDomainSave(libxlDriverPrivatePtr driver, virDomainObjPtr vm,
     }
 
     vm->hasManagedSave = true;
-
-    if (!vm->persistent) {
-        virDomainRemoveInactive(&driver->domains, vm);
-        vm = NULL;
-    }
-
     ret = 0;
 
 cleanup:
@@ -2176,7 +2170,15 @@ libxlDomainSaveFlags(virDomainPtr dom, const char *to, const char *dxml,
         goto cleanup;
     }
 
-    ret = libxlDoDomainSave(driver, vm, to);
+    if (libxlDoDomainSave(driver, vm, to) < 0)
+        goto cleanup;
+
+    if (!vm->persistent) {
+        virDomainRemoveInactive(&driver->domains, vm);
+        vm = NULL;
+    }
+
+    ret = 0;
 
 cleanup:
     if (vm)
@@ -2375,7 +2377,15 @@ libxlDomainManagedSave(virDomainPtr dom, unsigned int flags)
 
     VIR_INFO("Saving state to %s", name);
 
-    ret = libxlDoDomainSave(driver, vm, name);
+    if (libxlDoDomainSave(driver, vm, name) < 0)
+        goto cleanup;
+
+    if (!vm->persistent) {
+        virDomainRemoveInactive(&driver->domains, vm);
+        vm = NULL;
+    }
+
+    ret = 0;
 
 cleanup:
     if (vm)