diff --git a/src/qemu/qemu_process.c b/src/qemu/qemu_process.c
index 2fd384f0d58fb49f6f3b6f855a27ca04e3878235..fa2bdb834eb9c6164085ecd1f89241db2638e540 100644
--- a/src/qemu/qemu_process.c
+++ b/src/qemu/qemu_process.c
@@ -5155,6 +5155,10 @@ qemuProcessLaunch(virConnectPtr conn,
         qemuProcessInitCpuAffinity(vm) < 0)
         goto cleanup;
 
+    VIR_DEBUG("Setting emulator tuning/settings");
+    if (qemuProcessSetupEmulator(vm) < 0)
+        goto cleanup;
+
     VIR_DEBUG("Setting domain security labels");
     if (virSecurityManagerSetAllLabel(driver->securityManager,
                                       vm->def,
@@ -5197,10 +5201,6 @@ qemuProcessLaunch(virConnectPtr conn,
     if (rv == -1) /* The VM failed to start */
         goto cleanup;
 
-    VIR_DEBUG("Setting emulator tuning/settings");
-    if (qemuProcessSetupEmulator(vm) < 0)
-        goto cleanup;
-
     VIR_DEBUG("Waiting for monitor to show up");
     if (qemuProcessWaitForMonitor(driver, vm, asyncJob, priv->qemuCaps, logCtxt) < 0)
         goto cleanup;