diff --git a/src/lxc/lxc_driver.c b/src/lxc/lxc_driver.c
index 5d0613a5f39e46130e94511e2936d36697b9a963..8603078d1ef3538d3e0d09247c2b162d690b856f 100644
--- a/src/lxc/lxc_driver.c
+++ b/src/lxc/lxc_driver.c
@@ -1162,8 +1162,16 @@ static int lxcDomainGetSecurityLabel(virDomainPtr dom, virSecurityLabelPtr secla
      *   LXC monitor hasn't seen SIGHUP/ERR on poll().
      */
     if (virDomainObjIsActive(vm)) {
+        virLXCDomainObjPrivatePtr priv = vm->privateData;
+
+        if (!priv->initpid) {
+            virReportError(VIR_ERR_OPERATION_INVALID, "%s",
+                           _("Init pid is not yet available"));
+            goto cleanup;
+        }
+
         if (virSecurityManagerGetProcessLabel(driver->securityManager,
-                                              vm->def, vm->pid, seclabel) < 0) {
+                                              vm->def, priv->initpid, seclabel) < 0) {
             virReportError(VIR_ERR_INTERNAL_ERROR,
                            "%s", _("Failed to get security label"));
             goto cleanup;