diff --git a/src/conf/domain_conf.c b/src/conf/domain_conf.c
index acd58a1b6175a6d30866ad72486a978f4c858c01..ba67433c5c28259408231ff0f6ef2ff418c84713 100644
--- a/src/conf/domain_conf.c
+++ b/src/conf/domain_conf.c
@@ -2749,6 +2749,13 @@ virDomainObjWait(virDomainObjPtr vm)
                              _("failed to wait for domain condition"));
         return -1;
     }
+
+    if (!virDomainObjIsActive(vm)) {
+        virReportError(VIR_ERR_OPERATION_FAILED, "%s",
+                       _("domain is not running"));
+        return -1;
+    }
+
     return 0;
 }