diff --git a/src/qemu/qemu_monitor_json.c b/src/qemu/qemu_monitor_json.c
index 643431cb4dc7bff115a9ff402daa66a099842b52..bab6ca28b1bd0e0065384dd5471ef8c4ad5428b5 100644
--- a/src/qemu/qemu_monitor_json.c
+++ b/src/qemu/qemu_monitor_json.c
@@ -685,8 +685,9 @@ static void qemuMonitorJSONHandleGraphics(qemuMonitorPtr mon, virJSONValuePtr da
 
     authScheme = virJSONValueObjectGetString(server, "auth");
     if (!authScheme) {
-        VIR_WARN("missing auth scheme in graphics event");
-        return;
+        /* not all events are required to contain auth scheme */
+        VIR_DEBUG("missing auth scheme in graphics event");
+        authScheme = "";
     }
 
     localFamily = virJSONValueObjectGetString(server, "family");