diff --git a/src/lxc/lxc_driver.c b/src/lxc/lxc_driver.c
index a9f0005f55..e5e6c5abe5 100644
--- a/src/lxc/lxc_driver.c
+++ b/src/lxc/lxc_driver.c
@@ -1239,8 +1239,10 @@ lxcDomainCreateXMLWithFiles(virConnectPtr conn,
                            (flags & VIR_DOMAIN_START_AUTODESTROY),
                            VIR_DOMAIN_RUNNING_BOOTED) < 0) {
         virDomainAuditStart(vm, "booted", false);
-        virDomainObjListRemove(driver->domains, vm);
-        vm = NULL;
+        if (!vm->persistent) {
+            virDomainObjListRemove(driver->domains, vm);
+            vm = NULL;
+        }
         goto cleanup;
     }
 
diff --git a/src/qemu/qemu_driver.c b/src/qemu/qemu_driver.c
index 2387cf3f96..30d2d988e1 100644
--- a/src/qemu/qemu_driver.c
+++ b/src/qemu/qemu_driver.c
@@ -1752,7 +1752,8 @@ static virDomainPtr qemuDomainCreateXML(virConnectPtr conn,
     def = NULL;
 
     if (qemuDomainObjBeginJob(driver, vm, QEMU_JOB_MODIFY) < 0) {
-        qemuDomainRemoveInactive(driver, vm);
+        if (!vm->persistent)
+            qemuDomainRemoveInactive(driver, vm);
         goto cleanup;
     }
 
@@ -1762,7 +1763,8 @@ static virDomainPtr qemuDomainCreateXML(virConnectPtr conn,
                          start_flags) < 0) {
         virDomainAuditStart(vm, "booted", false);
         qemuDomainObjEndJob(driver, vm);
-        qemuDomainRemoveInactive(driver, vm);
+        if (!vm->persistent)
+            qemuDomainRemoveInactive(driver, vm);
         goto cleanup;
     }
 
diff --git a/src/test/test_driver.c b/src/test/test_driver.c
index d11cda1f72..b40b0799de 100644
--- a/src/test/test_driver.c
+++ b/src/test/test_driver.c
@@ -1621,8 +1621,13 @@ testDomainCreateXML(virConnectPtr conn, const char *xml,
         goto cleanup;
     def = NULL;
 
-    if (testDomainStartState(privconn, dom, VIR_DOMAIN_RUNNING_BOOTED) < 0)
+    if (testDomainStartState(privconn, dom, VIR_DOMAIN_RUNNING_BOOTED) < 0) {
+        if (!dom->persistent) {
+            virDomainObjListRemove(privconn->domains, dom);
+            dom = NULL;
+        }
         goto cleanup;
+    }
 
     event = virDomainEventLifecycleNewFromObj(dom,
                                      VIR_DOMAIN_EVENT_STARTED,
diff --git a/src/uml/uml_driver.c b/src/uml/uml_driver.c
index 2b61f73aff..d4b03b39e4 100644
--- a/src/uml/uml_driver.c
+++ b/src/uml/uml_driver.c
@@ -1623,9 +1623,10 @@ static virDomainPtr umlDomainCreateXML(virConnectPtr conn, const char *xml,
     if (umlStartVMDaemon(conn, driver, vm,
                          (flags & VIR_DOMAIN_START_AUTODESTROY)) < 0) {
         virDomainAuditStart(vm, "booted", false);
-        virDomainObjListRemove(driver->domains,
-                               vm);
-        vm = NULL;
+        if (!vm->persistent) {
+            virDomainObjListRemove(driver->domains, vm);
+            vm = NULL;
+        }
         goto cleanup;
     }
     virDomainAuditStart(vm, "booted", true);
diff --git a/src/vmware/vmware_driver.c b/src/vmware/vmware_driver.c
index e228aaa584..152af398fc 100644
--- a/src/vmware/vmware_driver.c
+++ b/src/vmware/vmware_driver.c
@@ -716,8 +716,10 @@ vmwareDomainCreateXML(virConnectPtr conn, const char *xml,
     vmdef = NULL;
 
     if (vmwareStartVM(driver, vm) < 0) {
-        virDomainObjListRemove(driver->domains, vm);
-        vm = NULL;
+        if (!vm->persistent) {
+            virDomainObjListRemove(driver->domains, vm);
+            vm = NULL;
+        }
         goto cleanup;
     }