diff --git a/src/qemu/qemu_driver.c b/src/qemu/qemu_driver.c
index 6654fd3e22..ba1dba5b7e 100644
--- a/src/qemu/qemu_driver.c
+++ b/src/qemu/qemu_driver.c
@@ -6450,17 +6450,15 @@ qemuDomainSaveImageOpen(virQEMUDriverPtr driver,
     *ret_def = def;
     *ret_data = data;
 
+ cleanup:
     virObjectUnref(caps);
-
     return fd;
 
  error:
     virDomainDefFree(def);
     virQEMUSaveDataFree(data);
     VIR_FORCE_CLOSE(fd);
-    virObjectUnref(caps);
-
-    return -1;
+    goto cleanup;
 }
 
 static int ATTRIBUTE_NONNULL(4) ATTRIBUTE_NONNULL(5) ATTRIBUTE_NONNULL(6)