diff --git a/src/conf/secret_conf.c b/src/conf/secret_conf.c
index c002a5db989adfe11f29c0e954af71c083afa272..946d425ccfa812319d5c1da9795f12a9f2a849f8 100644
--- a/src/conf/secret_conf.c
+++ b/src/conf/secret_conf.c
@@ -60,7 +60,7 @@ virSecretDefFree(virSecretDefPtr def)
 }
 
 static int
-virSecretDefParseUsage(virConnectPtr conn, xmlXPathContextPtr ctxt,
+virSecretDefParseUsage(xmlXPathContextPtr ctxt,
                        virSecretDefPtr def)
 {
     char *type_str;
@@ -68,13 +68,13 @@ virSecretDefParseUsage(virConnectPtr conn, xmlXPathContextPtr ctxt,
 
     type_str = virXPathString("string(./usage/@type)", ctxt);
     if (type_str == NULL) {
-        virSecretReportError(conn, VIR_ERR_XML_ERROR, "%s",
+        virSecretReportError(VIR_ERR_XML_ERROR, "%s",
                              _("unknown secret usage type"));
         return -1;
     }
     type = virSecretUsageTypeTypeFromString(type_str);
     if (type < 0) {
-        virSecretReportError(conn, VIR_ERR_XML_ERROR,
+        virSecretReportError(VIR_ERR_XML_ERROR,
                              _("unknown secret usage type %s"), type_str);
         VIR_FREE(type_str);
         return -1;
@@ -88,14 +88,14 @@ virSecretDefParseUsage(virConnectPtr conn, xmlXPathContextPtr ctxt,
     case VIR_SECRET_USAGE_TYPE_VOLUME:
         def->usage.volume = virXPathString("string(./usage/volume)", ctxt);
         if (!def->usage.volume) {
-            virSecretReportError(conn, VIR_ERR_INTERNAL_ERROR, "%s",
+            virSecretReportError(VIR_ERR_INTERNAL_ERROR, "%s",
                                  _("volume usage specified, but volume path is missing"));
             return -1;
         }
         break;
 
     default:
-        virSecretReportError(conn, VIR_ERR_INTERNAL_ERROR,
+        virSecretReportError(VIR_ERR_INTERNAL_ERROR,
                              _("unexpected secret usage type %d"),
                              def->usage_type);
         return -1;
@@ -104,7 +104,7 @@ virSecretDefParseUsage(virConnectPtr conn, xmlXPathContextPtr ctxt,
 }
 
 static virSecretDefPtr
-secretXMLParseNode(virConnectPtr conn, xmlDocPtr xml, xmlNodePtr root)
+secretXMLParseNode(xmlDocPtr xml, xmlNodePtr root)
 {
     xmlXPathContextPtr ctxt = NULL;
     virSecretDefPtr def = NULL, ret = NULL;
@@ -112,7 +112,7 @@ secretXMLParseNode(virConnectPtr conn, xmlDocPtr xml, xmlNodePtr root)
     char *uuidstr = NULL;
 
     if (!xmlStrEqual(root->name, BAD_CAST "secret")) {
-        virSecretReportError(conn, VIR_ERR_XML_ERROR, "%s",
+        virSecretReportError(VIR_ERR_XML_ERROR, "%s",
                              _("incorrect root element"));
         goto cleanup;
     }
@@ -136,7 +136,7 @@ secretXMLParseNode(virConnectPtr conn, xmlDocPtr xml, xmlNodePtr root)
         else if (STREQ(prop, "no"))
             def->ephemeral = 0;
         else {
-            virSecretReportError(conn, VIR_ERR_XML_ERROR, "%s",
+            virSecretReportError(VIR_ERR_XML_ERROR, "%s",
                                  _("invalid value of 'ephemeral'"));
             goto cleanup;
         }
@@ -150,7 +150,7 @@ secretXMLParseNode(virConnectPtr conn, xmlDocPtr xml, xmlNodePtr root)
         else if (STREQ(prop, "no"))
             def->private = 0;
         else {
-            virSecretReportError(conn, VIR_ERR_XML_ERROR, "%s",
+            virSecretReportError(VIR_ERR_XML_ERROR, "%s",
                                  _("invalid value of 'private'"));
             goto cleanup;
         }
@@ -160,13 +160,13 @@ secretXMLParseNode(virConnectPtr conn, xmlDocPtr xml, xmlNodePtr root)
     uuidstr = virXPathString("string(./uuid)", ctxt);
     if (!uuidstr) {
         if (virUUIDGenerate(def->uuid)) {
-            virSecretReportError(conn, VIR_ERR_INTERNAL_ERROR,
+            virSecretReportError(VIR_ERR_INTERNAL_ERROR,
                                  "%s", _("Failed to generate UUID"));
             goto cleanup;
         }
     } else {
         if (virUUIDParse(uuidstr, def->uuid) < 0) {
-            virSecretReportError(conn, VIR_ERR_INTERNAL_ERROR,
+            virSecretReportError(VIR_ERR_INTERNAL_ERROR,
                                  "%s", _("malformed uuid element"));
             goto cleanup;
         }
@@ -175,7 +175,7 @@ secretXMLParseNode(virConnectPtr conn, xmlDocPtr xml, xmlNodePtr root)
 
     def->description = virXPathString("string(./description)", ctxt);
     if (virXPathNode("./usage", ctxt) != NULL
-        && virSecretDefParseUsage(conn, ctxt, def) < 0)
+        && virSecretDefParseUsage(ctxt, def) < 0)
         goto cleanup;
     ret = def;
     def = NULL;
@@ -194,19 +194,17 @@ catchXMLError(void *ctx, const char *msg ATTRIBUTE_UNUSED, ...)
     xmlParserCtxtPtr ctxt = (xmlParserCtxtPtr) ctx;
 
     if (ctxt) {
-        virConnectPtr conn = ctxt->_private;
-
         if (virGetLastError() == NULL &&
             ctxt->lastError.level == XML_ERR_FATAL &&
             ctxt->lastError.message != NULL) {
-            virSecretReportError(conn,  VIR_ERR_XML_DETAIL, _("at line %d: %s"),
+            virSecretReportError(VIR_ERR_XML_DETAIL, _("at line %d: %s"),
                                  ctxt->lastError.line, ctxt->lastError.message);
         }
     }
 }
 
 static virSecretDefPtr
-virSecretDefParse(virConnectPtr conn, const char *xmlStr, const char *filename)
+virSecretDefParse(const char *xmlStr, const char *filename)
 {
     xmlParserCtxtPtr pctxt;
     xmlDocPtr xml = NULL;
@@ -217,7 +215,6 @@ virSecretDefParse(virConnectPtr conn, const char *xmlStr, const char *filename)
     if (pctxt == NULL || pctxt->sax == NULL)
         goto cleanup;
     pctxt->sax->error = catchXMLError;
-    pctxt->_private = conn;
 
     if (filename != NULL)
         xml = xmlCtxtReadFile(pctxt, filename, NULL,
@@ -228,20 +225,20 @@ virSecretDefParse(virConnectPtr conn, const char *xmlStr, const char *filename)
                              XML_PARSE_NOENT | XML_PARSE_NONET |
                              XML_PARSE_NOWARNING);
     if (xml == NULL) {
-        if (conn->err.code == VIR_ERR_NONE)
-            virSecretReportError(conn, VIR_ERR_XML_ERROR, "%s",
+        if (virGetLastError() == NULL)
+            virSecretReportError(VIR_ERR_XML_ERROR, "%s",
                                  _("failed to parse xml document"));
         goto cleanup;
     }
 
     root = xmlDocGetRootElement(xml);
     if (root == NULL) {
-        virSecretReportError(conn, VIR_ERR_INTERNAL_ERROR, "%s",
+        virSecretReportError(VIR_ERR_INTERNAL_ERROR, "%s",
                              _("missing root element"));
         goto cleanup;
     }
 
-    ret = secretXMLParseNode(conn, xml, root);
+    ret = secretXMLParseNode(xml, root);
 
  cleanup:
     xmlFreeDoc(xml);
@@ -250,26 +247,26 @@ virSecretDefParse(virConnectPtr conn, const char *xmlStr, const char *filename)
 }
 
 virSecretDefPtr
-virSecretDefParseString(virConnectPtr conn, const char *xmlStr)
+virSecretDefParseString(const char *xmlStr)
 {
-    return virSecretDefParse(conn, xmlStr, NULL);
+    return virSecretDefParse(xmlStr, NULL);
 }
 
 virSecretDefPtr
-virSecretDefParseFile(virConnectPtr conn, const char *filename)
+virSecretDefParseFile(const char *filename)
 {
-    return virSecretDefParse(conn, NULL, filename);
+    return virSecretDefParse(NULL, filename);
 }
 
 static int
-virSecretDefFormatUsage(virConnectPtr conn, virBufferPtr buf,
+virSecretDefFormatUsage(virBufferPtr buf,
                         const virSecretDefPtr def)
 {
     const char *type;
 
     type = virSecretUsageTypeTypeToString(def->usage_type);
     if (type == NULL) {
-        virSecretReportError(conn, VIR_ERR_INTERNAL_ERROR,
+        virSecretReportError(VIR_ERR_INTERNAL_ERROR,
                              _("unexpected secret usage type %d"),
                              def->usage_type);
         return -1;
@@ -286,7 +283,7 @@ virSecretDefFormatUsage(virConnectPtr conn, virBufferPtr buf,
         break;
 
     default:
-        virSecretReportError(conn, VIR_ERR_INTERNAL_ERROR,
+        virSecretReportError(VIR_ERR_INTERNAL_ERROR,
                              _("unexpected secret usage type %d"),
                              def->usage_type);
         return -1;
@@ -297,7 +294,7 @@ virSecretDefFormatUsage(virConnectPtr conn, virBufferPtr buf,
 }
 
 char *
-virSecretDefFormat(virConnectPtr conn, const virSecretDefPtr def)
+virSecretDefFormat(const virSecretDefPtr def)
 {
     virBuffer buf = VIR_BUFFER_INITIALIZER;
     unsigned char *uuid;
@@ -314,7 +311,7 @@ virSecretDefFormat(virConnectPtr conn, const virSecretDefPtr def)
         virBufferEscapeString(&buf, "  <description>%s</description>\n",
                               def->description);
     if (def->usage_type != VIR_SECRET_USAGE_TYPE_NONE &&
-        virSecretDefFormatUsage(conn, &buf, def) < 0)
+        virSecretDefFormatUsage(&buf, def) < 0)
         goto error;
     virBufferAddLit(&buf, "</secret>\n");
 
diff --git a/src/conf/secret_conf.h b/src/conf/secret_conf.h
index 1ecf419f39e3c0dfa3d8b43d88742c926de76e0a..da00920e734ebddc0d8c10d0dc2082098285761b 100644
--- a/src/conf/secret_conf.h
+++ b/src/conf/secret_conf.h
@@ -26,8 +26,8 @@
 #include "internal.h"
 #include "util.h"
 
-#define virSecretReportError(conn, code, fmt...)                \
-    virReportErrorHelper(conn, VIR_FROM_SECRET, code, __FILE__, \
+#define virSecretReportError(code, fmt...)                      \
+    virReportErrorHelper(NULL, VIR_FROM_SECRET, code, __FILE__, \
                          __FUNCTION__, __LINE__, fmt)
 
 VIR_ENUM_DECL(virSecretUsageType)
@@ -46,8 +46,8 @@ struct _virSecretDef {
 };
 
 void virSecretDefFree(virSecretDefPtr def);
-virSecretDefPtr virSecretDefParseString(virConnectPtr conn, const char *xml);
-virSecretDefPtr virSecretDefParseFile(virConnectPtr conn, const char *filename);
-char *virSecretDefFormat(virConnectPtr conn, const virSecretDefPtr def);
+virSecretDefPtr virSecretDefParseString(const char *xml);
+virSecretDefPtr virSecretDefParseFile(const char *filename);
+char *virSecretDefFormat(const virSecretDefPtr def);
 
 #endif
diff --git a/src/secret/secret_driver.c b/src/secret/secret_driver.c
index 85c7e7c8fe3c0a8f1dae01867dabef9f38b46084..22852a15bcea93df32eadcb98f25bd6d39a19c90 100644
--- a/src/secret/secret_driver.c
+++ b/src/secret/secret_driver.c
@@ -222,16 +222,14 @@ secretComputePath(virSecretDriverStatePtr driver,
 }
 
 static char *
-secretXMLPath(virConnectPtr conn ATTRIBUTE_UNUSED /*TEMPORARY*/,
-              virSecretDriverStatePtr driver,
+secretXMLPath(virSecretDriverStatePtr driver,
               const virSecretEntry *secret)
 {
     return secretComputePath(driver, secret, ".xml");
 }
 
 static char *
-secretBase64Path(virConnectPtr conn ATTRIBUTE_UNUSED /*TEMPORARY*/,
-                 virSecretDriverStatePtr driver,
+secretBase64Path(virSecretDriverStatePtr driver,
                  const virSecretEntry *secret)
 {
     return secretComputePath(driver, secret, ".base64");
@@ -249,7 +247,7 @@ secretEnsureDirectory(virSecretDriverStatePtr driver)
 }
 
 static int
-secretSaveDef(virConnectPtr conn, virSecretDriverStatePtr driver,
+secretSaveDef(virSecretDriverStatePtr driver,
               const virSecretEntry *secret)
 {
     char *filename = NULL, *xml = NULL;
@@ -258,10 +256,10 @@ secretSaveDef(virConnectPtr conn, virSecretDriverStatePtr driver,
     if (secretEnsureDirectory(driver) < 0)
         goto cleanup;
 
-    filename = secretXMLPath(conn, driver, secret);
+    filename = secretXMLPath(driver, secret);
     if (filename == NULL)
         goto cleanup;
-    xml = virSecretDefFormat(conn, secret->def);
+    xml = virSecretDefFormat(secret->def);
     if (xml == NULL)
         goto cleanup;
 
@@ -277,7 +275,7 @@ cleanup:
 }
 
 static int
-secretSaveValue(virConnectPtr conn, virSecretDriverStatePtr driver,
+secretSaveValue(virSecretDriverStatePtr driver,
                 const virSecretEntry *secret)
 {
     char *filename = NULL, *base64 = NULL;
@@ -289,7 +287,7 @@ secretSaveValue(virConnectPtr conn, virSecretDriverStatePtr driver,
     if (secretEnsureDirectory(driver) < 0)
         goto cleanup;
 
-    filename = secretBase64Path(conn, driver, secret);
+    filename = secretBase64Path(driver, secret);
     if (filename == NULL)
         goto cleanup;
     base64_encode_alloc((const char *)secret->value, secret->value_size,
@@ -311,16 +309,16 @@ cleanup:
 }
 
 static int
-secretDeleteSaved(virConnectPtr conn, virSecretDriverStatePtr driver,
+secretDeleteSaved(virSecretDriverStatePtr driver,
                   const virSecretEntry *secret)
 {
     char *xml_filename = NULL, *value_filename = NULL;
     int ret = -1;
 
-    xml_filename = secretXMLPath(conn, driver, secret);
+    xml_filename = secretXMLPath(driver, secret);
     if (xml_filename == NULL)
         goto cleanup;
-    value_filename = secretBase64Path(conn, driver, secret);
+    value_filename = secretBase64Path(driver, secret);
     if (value_filename == NULL)
         goto cleanup;
 
@@ -339,7 +337,7 @@ cleanup:
 }
 
 static int
-secretLoadValidateUUID(virConnectPtr conn, virSecretDefPtr def,
+secretLoadValidateUUID(virSecretDefPtr def,
                        const char *xml_basename)
 {
     char uuidstr[VIR_UUID_STRING_BUFLEN];
@@ -347,7 +345,7 @@ secretLoadValidateUUID(virConnectPtr conn, virSecretDefPtr def,
     virUUIDFormat(def->uuid, uuidstr);
 
     if (!virFileMatchesNameSuffix(xml_basename, uuidstr, ".xml")) {
-        virSecretReportError(conn, VIR_ERR_INTERNAL_ERROR,
+        virSecretReportError(VIR_ERR_INTERNAL_ERROR,
                              _("<uuid> does not match secret file name '%s'"),
                              xml_basename);
         return -1;
@@ -357,7 +355,7 @@ secretLoadValidateUUID(virConnectPtr conn, virSecretDefPtr def,
 }
 
 static int
-secretLoadValue(virConnectPtr conn, virSecretDriverStatePtr driver,
+secretLoadValue(virSecretDriverStatePtr driver,
                 virSecretEntryPtr secret)
 {
     int ret = -1, fd = -1;
@@ -365,7 +363,7 @@ secretLoadValue(virConnectPtr conn, virSecretDriverStatePtr driver,
     char *filename = NULL, *contents = NULL, *value = NULL;
     size_t value_size;
 
-    filename = secretBase64Path(conn, driver, secret);
+    filename = secretBase64Path(driver, secret);
     if (filename == NULL)
         goto cleanup;
 
@@ -383,7 +381,7 @@ secretLoadValue(virConnectPtr conn, virSecretDriverStatePtr driver,
         goto cleanup;
     }
     if ((size_t)st.st_size != st.st_size) {
-        virSecretReportError(conn, VIR_ERR_INTERNAL_ERROR,
+        virSecretReportError(VIR_ERR_INTERNAL_ERROR,
                              _("'%s' file does not fit in memory"), filename);
         goto cleanup;
     }
@@ -400,7 +398,7 @@ secretLoadValue(virConnectPtr conn, virSecretDriverStatePtr driver,
     fd = -1;
 
     if (!base64_decode_alloc(contents, st.st_size, &value, &value_size)) {
-        virSecretReportError(conn, VIR_ERR_INTERNAL_ERROR,
+        virSecretReportError(VIR_ERR_INTERNAL_ERROR,
                              _("invalid base64 in '%s'"), filename);
         goto cleanup;
     }
@@ -431,7 +429,7 @@ cleanup:
 }
 
 static virSecretEntryPtr
-secretLoad(virConnectPtr conn, virSecretDriverStatePtr driver,
+secretLoad(virSecretDriverStatePtr driver,
            const char *xml_basename)
 {
     virSecretDefPtr def = NULL;
@@ -443,12 +441,12 @@ secretLoad(virConnectPtr conn, virSecretDriverStatePtr driver,
         virReportOOMError();
         goto cleanup;
     }
-    def = virSecretDefParseFile(conn, xml_filename);
+    def = virSecretDefParseFile(xml_filename);
     if (def == NULL)
         goto cleanup;
     VIR_FREE(xml_filename);
 
-    if (secretLoadValidateUUID(conn, def, xml_basename) < 0)
+    if (secretLoadValidateUUID(def, xml_basename) < 0)
         goto cleanup;
 
     if (VIR_ALLOC(secret) < 0) {
@@ -458,7 +456,7 @@ secretLoad(virConnectPtr conn, virSecretDriverStatePtr driver,
     secret->def = def;
     def = NULL;
 
-    if (secretLoadValue(conn, driver, secret) < 0)
+    if (secretLoadValue(driver, secret) < 0)
         goto cleanup;
 
     ret = secret;
@@ -472,7 +470,7 @@ cleanup:
 }
 
 static int
-loadSecrets(virConnectPtr conn, virSecretDriverStatePtr driver,
+loadSecrets(virSecretDriverStatePtr driver,
             virSecretEntryPtr *dest)
 {
     int ret = -1;
@@ -496,7 +494,7 @@ loadSecrets(virConnectPtr conn, virSecretDriverStatePtr driver,
         if (!virFileHasSuffix(de->d_name, ".xml"))
             continue;
 
-        secret = secretLoad(conn, driver, de->d_name);
+        secret = secretLoad(driver, de->d_name);
         if (secret == NULL) {
             virErrorPtr err = virGetLastError();
 
@@ -632,7 +630,7 @@ secretLookupByUUID(virConnectPtr conn, const unsigned char *uuid)
     if (secret == NULL) {
         char uuidstr[VIR_UUID_STRING_BUFLEN];
         virUUIDFormat(uuid, uuidstr);
-        virSecretReportError(conn, VIR_ERR_NO_SECRET,
+        virSecretReportError(VIR_ERR_NO_SECRET,
                              _("no secret with matching uuid '%s'"), uuidstr);
         goto cleanup;
     }
@@ -659,7 +657,7 @@ secretLookupByUsage(virConnectPtr conn, int usageType, const char *usageID)
 
     secret = secretFindByUsage(driver, usageType, usageID);
     if (secret == NULL) {
-        virSecretReportError(conn, VIR_ERR_NO_SECRET,
+        virSecretReportError(VIR_ERR_NO_SECRET,
                              _("no secret with matching usage '%s'"), usageID);
         goto cleanup;
     }
@@ -685,7 +683,7 @@ secretDefineXML(virConnectPtr conn, const char *xml,
     virSecretDefPtr backup = NULL;
     virSecretDefPtr new_attrs;
 
-    new_attrs = virSecretDefParseString(conn, xml);
+    new_attrs = virSecretDefParseString(xml);
     if (new_attrs == NULL)
         return NULL;
 
@@ -699,7 +697,7 @@ secretDefineXML(virConnectPtr conn, const char *xml,
         if (secret) {
             char uuidstr[VIR_UUID_STRING_BUFLEN];
             virUUIDFormat(secret->def->uuid, uuidstr);
-            virSecretReportError(conn, VIR_ERR_INTERNAL_ERROR,
+            virSecretReportError(VIR_ERR_INTERNAL_ERROR,
                                  _("a secret with UUID %s already defined for use with %s"),
                                  uuidstr, usageID);
             goto cleanup;
@@ -719,14 +717,14 @@ secretDefineXML(virConnectPtr conn, const char *xml,
         if (STRNEQ(oldUsageID, newUsageID)) {
             char uuidstr[VIR_UUID_STRING_BUFLEN];
             virUUIDFormat(secret->def->uuid, uuidstr);
-            virSecretReportError(conn, VIR_ERR_INTERNAL_ERROR,
+            virSecretReportError(VIR_ERR_INTERNAL_ERROR,
                                  _("a secret with UUID %s is already defined for use with %s"),
                                  uuidstr, oldUsageID);
             goto cleanup;
         }
 
         if (secret->def->private && !new_attrs->private) {
-            virSecretReportError(conn, VIR_ERR_INTERNAL_ERROR, "%s",
+            virSecretReportError(VIR_ERR_INTERNAL_ERROR, "%s",
                                  _("cannot change private flag on existing secret"));
             goto cleanup;
         }
@@ -738,15 +736,15 @@ secretDefineXML(virConnectPtr conn, const char *xml,
 
     if (!new_attrs->ephemeral) {
         if (backup && backup->ephemeral) {
-            if (secretSaveValue(conn, driver, secret) < 0)
+            if (secretSaveValue(driver, secret) < 0)
                 goto restore_backup;
         }
-        if (secretSaveDef(conn, driver, secret) < 0) {
+        if (secretSaveDef(driver, secret) < 0) {
             if (backup && backup->ephemeral) {
                 char *filename;
 
                 /* Undo the secretSaveValue() above; ignore errors */
-                filename = secretBase64Path(conn, driver, secret);
+                filename = secretBase64Path(driver, secret);
                 if (filename != NULL)
                     (void)unlink(filename);
                 VIR_FREE(filename);
@@ -754,7 +752,7 @@ secretDefineXML(virConnectPtr conn, const char *xml,
             goto restore_backup;
         }
     } else if (backup && !backup->ephemeral) {
-        if (secretDeleteSaved(conn, driver, secret) < 0)
+        if (secretDeleteSaved(driver, secret) < 0)
             goto restore_backup;
     }
     /* Saved successfully - drop old values */
@@ -774,7 +772,7 @@ restore_backup:
     } else {
         /* "secret" was added to the head of the list above */
         if (listUnlink(&driverState->secrets) != secret)
-            virSecretReportError(conn, VIR_ERR_INTERNAL_ERROR, "%s",
+            virSecretReportError(VIR_ERR_INTERNAL_ERROR, "%s",
                                  _("list of secrets is inconsistent"));
         else
             secretFree(secret);
@@ -800,12 +798,12 @@ secretGetXMLDesc(virSecretPtr obj, unsigned int flags ATTRIBUTE_UNUSED)
     if (secret == NULL) {
         char uuidstr[VIR_UUID_STRING_BUFLEN];
         virUUIDFormat(obj->uuid, uuidstr);
-        virSecretReportError(obj->conn, VIR_ERR_NO_SECRET,
+        virSecretReportError(VIR_ERR_NO_SECRET,
                              _("no secret with matching uuid '%s'"), uuidstr);
         goto cleanup;
     }
 
-    ret = virSecretDefFormat(obj->conn, secret->def);
+    ret = virSecretDefFormat(secret->def);
 
 cleanup:
     secretDriverUnlock(driver);
@@ -834,7 +832,7 @@ secretSetValue(virSecretPtr obj, const unsigned char *value,
     if (secret == NULL) {
         char uuidstr[VIR_UUID_STRING_BUFLEN];
         virUUIDFormat(obj->uuid, uuidstr);
-        virSecretReportError(obj->conn, VIR_ERR_NO_SECRET,
+        virSecretReportError(VIR_ERR_NO_SECRET,
                              _("no secret with matching uuid '%s'"), uuidstr);
         goto cleanup;
     }
@@ -846,7 +844,7 @@ secretSetValue(virSecretPtr obj, const unsigned char *value,
     secret->value = new_value;
     secret->value_size = value_size;
     if (!secret->def->ephemeral) {
-        if (secretSaveValue(obj->conn, driver, secret) < 0)
+        if (secretSaveValue(driver, secret) < 0)
             goto restore_backup;
     }
     /* Saved successfully - drop old value */
@@ -886,7 +884,7 @@ secretGetValue(virSecretPtr obj, size_t *value_size, unsigned int flags)
     if (secret == NULL) {
         char uuidstr[VIR_UUID_STRING_BUFLEN];
         virUUIDFormat(obj->uuid, uuidstr);
-        virSecretReportError(obj->conn, VIR_ERR_NO_SECRET,
+        virSecretReportError(VIR_ERR_NO_SECRET,
                              _("no secret with matching uuid '%s'"), uuidstr);
         goto cleanup;
     }
@@ -894,14 +892,14 @@ secretGetValue(virSecretPtr obj, size_t *value_size, unsigned int flags)
     if (secret->value == NULL) {
         char uuidstr[VIR_UUID_STRING_BUFLEN];
         virUUIDFormat(obj->uuid, uuidstr);
-        virSecretReportError(obj->conn, VIR_ERR_NO_SECRET,
+        virSecretReportError(VIR_ERR_NO_SECRET,
                              _("secret '%s' does not have a value"), uuidstr);
         goto cleanup;
     }
 
     if ((flags & VIR_SECRET_GET_VALUE_INTERNAL_CALL) == 0 &&
         secret->def->private) {
-        virSecretReportError(obj->conn, VIR_ERR_OPERATION_DENIED, "%s",
+        virSecretReportError(VIR_ERR_OPERATION_DENIED, "%s",
                              _("secret is private"));
         goto cleanup;
     }
@@ -932,13 +930,13 @@ secretUndefine(virSecretPtr obj)
     if (secret == NULL) {
         char uuidstr[VIR_UUID_STRING_BUFLEN];
         virUUIDFormat(obj->uuid, uuidstr);
-        virSecretReportError(obj->conn, VIR_ERR_NO_SECRET,
+        virSecretReportError(VIR_ERR_NO_SECRET,
                              _("no secret with matching uuid '%s'"), uuidstr);
         goto cleanup;
     }
 
     if (!secret->def->ephemeral &&
-        secretDeleteSaved(obj->conn, driver, secret) < 0)
+        secretDeleteSaved(driver, secret) < 0)
         goto cleanup;
 
     if (driver->secrets == secret) {
@@ -1018,7 +1016,7 @@ secretDriverStartup(int privileged)
         goto out_of_memory;
     VIR_FREE(base);
 
-    if (loadSecrets(NULL, driverState, &driverState->secrets) < 0)
+    if (loadSecrets(driverState, &driverState->secrets) < 0)
         goto error;
 
     secretDriverUnlock(driverState);
@@ -1043,7 +1041,7 @@ secretDriverReload(void)
 
     secretDriverLock(driverState);
 
-    if (loadSecrets(NULL, driverState, &new_secrets) < 0)
+    if (loadSecrets(driverState, &new_secrets) < 0)
         goto end;
 
     /* Keep ephemeral secrets from current state.  Discard non-ephemeral secrets
diff --git a/src/storage/storage_backend.c b/src/storage/storage_backend.c
index de7fbd12baeade911661375ac21e558a0abb9433..a12ddc744515f2a083b6c0ad360486ee6e557663 100644
--- a/src/storage/storage_backend.c
+++ b/src/storage/storage_backend.c
@@ -385,8 +385,8 @@ virStorageGenerateSecretUUID(virConnectPtr conn,
     for (attempt = 0; attempt < 65536; attempt++) {
         virSecretPtr tmp;
         if (virUUIDGenerate(uuid) < 0) {
-            virSecretReportError(conn, VIR_ERR_INTERNAL_ERROR, "%s",
-                                 _("unable to generate uuid"));
+            virStorageReportError(VIR_ERR_INTERNAL_ERROR, "%s",
+                                  _("unable to generate uuid"));
             return -1;
         }
         tmp = conn->secretDriver->lookupByUUID(conn, uuid);
@@ -396,8 +396,8 @@ virStorageGenerateSecretUUID(virConnectPtr conn,
         virSecretFree(tmp);
     }
 
-    virSecretReportError(conn, VIR_ERR_INTERNAL_ERROR, "%s",
-                         _("too many conflicts when generating an uuid"));
+    virStorageReportError(VIR_ERR_INTERNAL_ERROR, "%s",
+                          _("too many conflicts when generating an uuid"));
 
     return -1;
 }
@@ -448,7 +448,7 @@ virStorageGenerateQcowEncryption(virConnectPtr conn,
         virReportOOMError();
         goto cleanup;
     }
-    xml = virSecretDefFormat(conn, def);
+    xml = virSecretDefFormat(def);
     virSecretDefFree(def);
     def = NULL;
     if (xml == NULL)