diff --git a/src/qemu/qemu_driver.c b/src/qemu/qemu_driver.c
index 82a2210963761f2e0a4fbe8a80293b6e23f992a4..ab664a046c0e9fa500868e727073955e7ae0415a 100644
--- a/src/qemu/qemu_driver.c
+++ b/src/qemu/qemu_driver.c
@@ -4303,7 +4303,9 @@ endjob:
     return ret;
 }
 
-/* this internal function expects the driver lock to already be held on entry */
+/* This internal function expects the driver lock to already be held on
+ * entry and the vm must be active.
+ */
 static int qemudDomainSaveFlag(struct qemud_driver *driver, virDomainPtr dom,
                                virDomainObjPtr vm, const char *path,
                                int compressed)
@@ -4332,12 +4334,6 @@ static int qemudDomainSaveFlag(struct qemud_driver *driver, virDomainPtr dom,
     if (qemuDomainObjBeginJobWithDriver(driver, vm) < 0)
         goto cleanup;
 
-    if (!virDomainObjIsActive(vm)) {
-        qemuReportError(VIR_ERR_OPERATION_INVALID,
-                        "%s", _("domain is not running"));
-        goto endjob;
-    }
-
     priv->jobActive = QEMU_JOB_SAVE;
 
     memset(&priv->jobInfo, 0, sizeof(priv->jobInfo));
@@ -4656,6 +4652,12 @@ static int qemudDomainSave(virDomainPtr dom, const char *path)
         goto cleanup;
     }
 
+    if (!virDomainObjIsActive(vm)) {
+        qemuReportError(VIR_ERR_OPERATION_INVALID,
+                        "%s", _("domain is not running"));
+        goto cleanup;
+    }
+
     ret = qemudDomainSaveFlag(driver, dom, vm, path, compressed);
 
 cleanup: