diff --git a/src/rpc/virnetserverclient.c b/src/rpc/virnetserverclient.c
index 327b121fafbf6e52fbf31f5779d14fbe6aabfd34..57a3446d39ef409976b486cededfce38bd39fb8d 100644
--- a/src/rpc/virnetserverclient.c
+++ b/src/rpc/virnetserverclient.c
@@ -723,13 +723,17 @@ readmore:
         filter = client->filters;
         while (filter) {
             int ret = filter->func(client, msg, filter->opaque);
-            if (ret < 0 || ret > 0) {
+            if (ret < 0) {
                 virNetMessageFree(msg);
                 msg = NULL;
                 if (ret < 0)
                     client->wantClose = true;
                 break;
             }
+            if (ret > 0) {
+                msg = NULL;
+                break;
+            }
 
             filter = filter->next;
         }