diff --git a/src/util/vircgroupv2.c b/src/util/vircgroupv2.c
index 6bcbb7e1a0b9a7aa6a9117e2c1bdefdaa6abb21d..3f4548b5324a3457566a6e4a81ec2a30b77d61a1 100644
--- a/src/util/vircgroupv2.c
+++ b/src/util/vircgroupv2.c
@@ -404,7 +404,8 @@ virCgroupV2MakeGroup(virCgroupPtr parent ATTRIBUTE_UNUSED,
                 return -1;
             }
 
-            if (virCgroupV2EnableController(parent,
+            if (virCgroupV2HasController(parent, VIR_CGROUP_CONTROLLER_CPU) &&
+                virCgroupV2EnableController(parent,
                                             VIR_CGROUP_CONTROLLER_CPU) < 0) {
                 return -1;
             }