diff --git a/src/security/security_driver.c b/src/security/security_driver.c
index 7ff5f1786d6f46fa25aaa300b9f094de0d6577df..f450a94372886ee6271332e2ec5d49eecb348609 100644
--- a/src/security/security_driver.c
+++ b/src/security/security_driver.c
@@ -72,6 +72,12 @@ virSecurityDriverPtr virSecurityDriverLookup(const char *name,
 
         case SECURITY_DRIVER_DISABLE:
             VIR_DEBUG("Not enabled name=%s", tmp->name);
+            if (name && STREQ(tmp->name, name)) {
+                virReportError(VIR_ERR_CONFIG_UNSUPPORTED,
+                               _("Security driver %s not enabled"),
+                               name);
+                return NULL;
+            }
             break;
 
         default: