diff --git a/src/qemu/qemu_command.c b/src/qemu/qemu_command.c
index 8236c9a32aef046d38f42a4b21aa7cdf4aac617a..774ca37dc550b580014b08267bf9625944bb70ce 100644
--- a/src/qemu/qemu_command.c
+++ b/src/qemu/qemu_command.c
@@ -8388,12 +8388,12 @@ qemuBuildSerialCommandLine(virLogManagerPtr logManager,
 
         /* Use -chardev with -device if they are available */
         if (virQEMUCapsSupportsChardev(def, qemuCaps, serial)) {
-            virCommandAddArg(cmd, "-chardev");
             if (!(devstr = qemuBuildChrChardevStr(logManager, cmd, def,
                                                   &serial->source,
                                                   serial->info.alias,
                                                   qemuCaps)))
                 return -1;
+            virCommandAddArg(cmd, "-chardev");
             virCommandAddArg(cmd, devstr);
             VIR_FREE(devstr);