diff --git a/src/qemu/qemu_process.c b/src/qemu/qemu_process.c
index 1941d4eed112bc77051fdb2e0d82e0191eb66f91..3d2b7d6c428e9dd8cd92f838892d2f54eb14a6e9 100644
--- a/src/qemu/qemu_process.c
+++ b/src/qemu/qemu_process.c
@@ -3621,14 +3621,15 @@ int qemuProcessStart(virConnectPtr conn,
         goto cleanup;
 
     VIR_DEBUG("Checking for CDROM and floppy presence");
+    if (qemuDomainCheckDiskPresence(driver, vm,
+                                    flags & VIR_QEMU_PROCESS_START_COLD) < 0)
+        goto cleanup;
+
     for (i = 0; i < vm->def->ndisks ; i++) {
         if (qemuDomainDetermineDiskChain(driver, vm->def->disks[i],
                                          false) < 0)
             goto cleanup;
     }
-    if (qemuDomainCheckDiskPresence(driver, vm,
-                                    flags & VIR_QEMU_PROCESS_START_COLD) < 0)
-        goto cleanup;
 
     /* Get the advisory nodeset from numad if 'placement' of
      * either <vcpu> or <numatune> is 'auto'.