diff --git a/src/esx/esx_vi.c b/src/esx/esx_vi.c
index 43ff7ea048..0bdfc5a8be 100644
--- a/src/esx/esx_vi.c
+++ b/src/esx/esx_vi.c
@@ -3014,17 +3014,8 @@ esxVI_LookupVirtualMachineByName(esxVI_Context *ctx, const char *name,
         break;
     }
 
-    if (!(*virtualMachine)) {
-        if (occurrence == esxVI_Occurrence_OptionalItem) {
-            result = 0;
-
-            goto cleanup;
-        } else {
-            virReportError(VIR_ERR_NO_DOMAIN,
-                           _("Could not find domain with name '%s'"), name);
-            goto cleanup;
-        }
-    }
+    if (!(*virtualMachine) && occurrence != esxVI_Occurrence_OptionalItem)
+        goto cleanup;
 
     result = 0;