diff --git a/tools/virsh-domain.c b/tools/virsh-domain.c
index b1ab9117fdd23f324ab7565e7af01ed0976caa58..3efacede8cc7cf8dcb78dac9cfc6cebc8015ecf7 100644
--- a/tools/virsh-domain.c
+++ b/tools/virsh-domain.c
@@ -10131,7 +10131,12 @@ cmdDetachInterface(vshControl *ctl, const vshCmd *cmd)
         virDomainIsActive(dom) == 1)
         flags |= VIR_DOMAIN_AFFECT_LIVE;
 
-    if (!(doc = virDomainGetXMLDesc(dom, 0)))
+    if (flags & VIR_DOMAIN_AFFECT_CONFIG)
+        doc = virDomainGetXMLDesc(dom, VIR_DOMAIN_XML_INACTIVE);
+    else
+        doc = virDomainGetXMLDesc(dom, 0);
+
+    if (!doc)
         goto cleanup;
 
     if (!(xml = virXMLParseStringCtxt(doc, _("(domain_definition)"), &ctxt))) {