diff --git a/src/qemu/qemu_process.c b/src/qemu/qemu_process.c
index db95d6ee1c371349d6cf5900a39cbda8e082a93c..1b9eedec4c160f0f6b1b7a4c1237fff0d8e0e2e2 100644
--- a/src/qemu/qemu_process.c
+++ b/src/qemu/qemu_process.c
@@ -4629,8 +4629,10 @@ qemuProcessAutoDestroy(virQEMUDriverPtr driver,
 
     if (!qemuDomainObjEndJob(driver, dom))
         dom = NULL;
-    if (dom && !dom->persistent)
+    if (dom && !dom->persistent) {
         qemuDomainRemoveInactive(driver, dom);
+        dom = NULL;
+    }
     if (event)
         qemuDomainEventQueue(driver, event);