diff --git a/tests/qemu-iotests/iotests.py b/tests/qemu-iotests/iotests.py
index 0b204dc220af9489242ed66196ef308de7051ee6..2f22fab2a78162bbad92f104c0515c76a552977a 100644
--- a/tests/qemu-iotests/iotests.py
+++ b/tests/qemu-iotests/iotests.py
@@ -590,9 +590,14 @@ class QMPTestCase(unittest.TestCase):
         with Timeout(1, "Timeout waiting for job to pause"):
             while True:
                 result = self.vm.qmp('query-block-jobs')
+                found = False
                 for job in result['return']:
-                    if job['device'] == job_id and job['paused'] == True and job['busy'] == False:
-                        return job
+                    if job['device'] == job_id:
+                        found = True
+                        if job['paused'] == True and job['busy'] == False:
+                            return job
+                        break
+                assert found
 
     def pause_job(self, job_id='job0', wait=True):
         result = self.vm.qmp('block-job-pause', device=job_id)