diff --git a/src/conf/domain_conf.c b/src/conf/domain_conf.c
index 53733379cdde12d1422db67cf75ba009f5767f4a..48afb8c5c973a7d57dbe5e116fd321cd35cbabdf 100644
--- a/src/conf/domain_conf.c
+++ b/src/conf/domain_conf.c
@@ -2247,13 +2247,11 @@ void virDomainObjAssignDef(virDomainObjPtr domain,
         domain->newDef = def;
     } else {
         if (live) {
-            if (domain->def) {
-                /* save current configuration to be restored on domain shutdown */
-                if (!domain->newDef)
-                    domain->newDef = domain->def;
-                else
-                    virDomainDefFree(domain->def);
-            }
+            /* save current configuration to be restored on domain shutdown */
+            if (!domain->newDef)
+                domain->newDef = domain->def;
+            else
+                virDomainDefFree(domain->def);
             domain->def = def;
         } else {
             if (oldDef)