diff --git a/src/qemu/qemu_agent.c b/src/qemu/qemu_agent.c
index fddedf5cb67dba231910adb144b98a28e7b94410..34e1a85d6490ef3c64846f1ac93158b400a8d508 100644
--- a/src/qemu/qemu_agent.c
+++ b/src/qemu/qemu_agent.c
@@ -1005,7 +1005,12 @@ static bool
 qemuAgentErrorCommandUnsupported(virJSONValuePtr reply)
 {
     const char *klass;
-    virJSONValuePtr error = virJSONValueObjectGet(reply, "error");
+    virJSONValuePtr error;
+
+    if (!reply)
+        return false;
+
+    error = virJSONValueObjectGet(reply, "error");
 
     if (!error)
         return false;