diff --git a/src/libxl/libxl_domain.c b/src/libxl/libxl_domain.c
index 514dbe21ac23687215da798281348923c004b397..e71faee63d2f29f056db8a5d65ca48457f496d08 100644
--- a/src/libxl/libxl_domain.c
+++ b/src/libxl/libxl_domain.c
@@ -1338,13 +1338,6 @@ libxlDomainStart(libxlDriverPrivatePtr driver,
                                   NULL) < 0)
         goto cleanup;
 
-    if (virDomainLockProcessResume(driver->lockManager,
-                                  "xen:///system",
-                                  vm,
-                                  priv->lockState) < 0)
-        goto cleanup;
-    VIR_FREE(priv->lockState);
-
     if (libxlNetworkPrepareDevices(vm->def) < 0)
         goto cleanup_dom;
 
@@ -1427,6 +1420,13 @@ libxlDomainStart(libxlDriverPrivatePtr driver,
 
     libxlLoggerOpenFile(cfg->logger, domid, vm->def->name, config_json);
 
+    if (virDomainLockProcessResume(driver->lockManager,
+                                  "xen:///system",
+                                  vm,
+                                  priv->lockState) < 0)
+        goto destroy_dom;
+    VIR_FREE(priv->lockState);
+
     /* Always enable domain death events */
     if (libxl_evenable_domain_death(cfg->ctx, vm->def->id, 0, &priv->deathW))
         goto destroy_dom;
diff --git a/src/libxl/libxl_migration.c b/src/libxl/libxl_migration.c
index b223916647707d9950221c5785ac7a1e2724ec75..7e920050c42b52d5b3243f064827648bfbc13cc2 100644
--- a/src/libxl/libxl_migration.c
+++ b/src/libxl/libxl_migration.c
@@ -1237,20 +1237,16 @@ libxlDomainMigrationSrcPerform(libxlDriverPrivatePtr driver,
     sockfd = virNetSocketDupFD(sock, true);
     virObjectUnref(sock);
 
-    if (virDomainLockProcessPause(driver->lockManager, vm, &priv->lockState) < 0)
-        VIR_WARN("Unable to release lease on %s", vm->def->name);
-    VIR_DEBUG("Preserving lock state '%s'", NULLSTR(priv->lockState));
-
     /* suspend vm and send saved data to dst through socket fd */
     virObjectUnlock(vm);
     ret = libxlDoMigrateSrcSend(driver, vm, flags, sockfd);
     virObjectLock(vm);
 
-    if (ret < 0) {
-        virDomainLockProcessResume(driver->lockManager,
-                                   "xen:///system",
-                                   vm,
-                                   priv->lockState);
+    if (ret == 0) {
+        if (virDomainLockProcessPause(driver->lockManager, vm, &priv->lockState) < 0)
+            VIR_WARN("Unable to release lease on %s", vm->def->name);
+        VIR_DEBUG("Preserving lock state '%s'", NULLSTR(priv->lockState));
+    } else {
         /*
          * Confirm phase will not be executed if perform fails. End the
          * job started in begin phase.