diff --git a/tools/virsh.c b/tools/virsh.c
index 6f0c1ef7dc1ff255b1ccfb7860e2f2d9a1685367..26d37c69ad808e821e34484421aab99108202c45 100644
--- a/tools/virsh.c
+++ b/tools/virsh.c
@@ -122,9 +122,7 @@ _vshStrdup(vshControl *ctl, const char *s, const char *filename, int line)
 {
     char *x;
 
-    if (s == NULL)
-        return NULL;
-    if ((x = strdup(s)))
+    if (VIR_STRDUP(x, s) >= 0)
         return x;
     vshError(ctl, _("%s: %d: failed to allocate %lu bytes"),
              filename, line, (unsigned long)strlen(s));