diff --git a/src/qemu/qemu_driver.c b/src/qemu/qemu_driver.c
index 2e80ce7921..f326937585 100644
--- a/src/qemu/qemu_driver.c
+++ b/src/qemu/qemu_driver.c
@@ -5775,7 +5775,10 @@ qemuDomainRestoreInternal(virConnectPtr conn,
     if (flags & VIR_DOMAIN_SAVE_RESET_NVRAM)
         reset_nvram = true;
 
-    fd = qemuSaveImageOpen(driver, NULL, path, &def, &data,
+    if (qemuSaveImageGetMetadata(driver, NULL, path, &def, &data) < 0)
+        goto cleanup;
+
+    fd = qemuSaveImageOpen(driver, path,
                            (flags & VIR_DOMAIN_SAVE_BYPASS_CACHE) != 0,
                            &wrapperFd, false);
     if (fd < 0)
@@ -5906,15 +5909,11 @@ qemuDomainSaveImageGetXMLDesc(virConnectPtr conn, const char *path,
     virQEMUDriver *driver = conn->privateData;
     char *ret = NULL;
     g_autoptr(virDomainDef) def = NULL;
-    int fd = -1;
     virQEMUSaveData *data = NULL;
 
     virCheckFlags(VIR_DOMAIN_SAVE_IMAGE_XML_SECURE, NULL);
 
-    fd = qemuSaveImageOpen(driver, NULL, path, &def, &data,
-                           false, NULL, false);
-
-    if (fd < 0)
+    if (qemuSaveImageGetMetadata(driver, NULL, path, &def, &data) < 0)
         goto cleanup;
 
     if (virDomainSaveImageGetXMLDescEnsureACL(conn, def) < 0)
@@ -5924,7 +5923,6 @@ qemuDomainSaveImageGetXMLDesc(virConnectPtr conn, const char *path,
 
  cleanup:
     virQEMUSaveDataFree(data);
-    VIR_FORCE_CLOSE(fd);
     return ret;
 }
 
@@ -5948,9 +5946,10 @@ qemuDomainSaveImageDefineXML(virConnectPtr conn, const char *path,
     else if (flags & VIR_DOMAIN_SAVE_PAUSED)
         state = 0;
 
-    fd = qemuSaveImageOpen(driver, NULL, path, &def, &data,
-                           false, NULL, true);
+    if (qemuSaveImageGetMetadata(driver, NULL, path, &def, &data) < 0)
+        goto cleanup;
 
+    fd = qemuSaveImageOpen(driver, path, 0, NULL, false);
     if (fd < 0)
         goto cleanup;
 
@@ -6007,7 +6006,6 @@ qemuDomainManagedSaveGetXMLDesc(virDomainPtr dom, unsigned int flags)
     g_autofree char *path = NULL;
     char *ret = NULL;
     g_autoptr(virDomainDef) def = NULL;
-    int fd = -1;
     virQEMUSaveData *data = NULL;
     qemuDomainObjPrivate *priv;
 
@@ -6029,15 +6027,13 @@ qemuDomainManagedSaveGetXMLDesc(virDomainPtr dom, unsigned int flags)
         goto cleanup;
     }
 
-    if ((fd = qemuSaveImageOpen(driver, priv->qemuCaps, path, &def, &data,
-                                false, NULL, false)) < 0)
+    if (qemuSaveImageGetMetadata(driver, priv->qemuCaps, path, &def, &data) < 0)
         goto cleanup;
 
     ret = qemuDomainDefFormatXML(driver, priv->qemuCaps, def, flags);
 
  cleanup:
     virQEMUSaveDataFree(data);
-    VIR_FORCE_CLOSE(fd);
     virDomainObjEndAPI(&vm);
     return ret;
 }
@@ -6093,9 +6089,8 @@ qemuDomainObjRestore(virConnectPtr conn,
     virQEMUSaveData *data = NULL;
     virFileWrapperFd *wrapperFd = NULL;
 
-    fd = qemuSaveImageOpen(driver, NULL, path, &def, &data,
-                           bypass_cache, &wrapperFd, false);
-    if (fd < 0) {
+    ret = qemuSaveImageGetMetadata(driver, NULL, path, &def, &data);
+    if (ret < 0) {
         if (qemuSaveImageIsCorrupt(driver, path)) {
             if (unlink(path) < 0) {
                 virReportSystemError(errno,
@@ -6110,6 +6105,10 @@ qemuDomainObjRestore(virConnectPtr conn,
         goto cleanup;
     }
 
+    fd = qemuSaveImageOpen(driver, path, bypass_cache, &wrapperFd, false);
+    if (fd < 0)
+        goto cleanup;
+
     if (virHookPresent(VIR_HOOK_DRIVER_QEMU)) {
         int hookret;
 
diff --git a/src/qemu/qemu_saveimage.c b/src/qemu/qemu_saveimage.c
index 385ac8a649..8315171b78 100644
--- a/src/qemu/qemu_saveimage.c
+++ b/src/qemu/qemu_saveimage.c
@@ -249,6 +249,84 @@ qemuSaveImageGetCompressionCommand(virQEMUSaveFormat format)
 }
 
 
+static int
+qemuSaveImageReadHeader(int fd, virQEMUSaveData **ret_data)
+{
+    g_autoptr(virQEMUSaveData) data = NULL;
+    virQEMUSaveHeader *header;
+    size_t xml_len;
+    size_t cookie_len;
+
+    data = g_new0(virQEMUSaveData, 1);
+    header = &data->header;
+    if (saferead(fd, header, sizeof(*header)) != sizeof(*header)) {
+         virReportError(VIR_ERR_OPERATION_FAILED,
+                        "%s", _("failed to read qemu header"));
+         return -1;
+    }
+
+    if (memcmp(header->magic, QEMU_SAVE_MAGIC, sizeof(header->magic)) != 0) {
+        if (memcmp(header->magic, QEMU_SAVE_PARTIAL, sizeof(header->magic)) == 0) {
+            virReportError(VIR_ERR_OPERATION_FAILED, "%s",
+                           _("save image is incomplete"));
+            return -1;
+        }
+
+        virReportError(VIR_ERR_OPERATION_FAILED, "%s",
+                       _("image magic is incorrect"));
+        return -1;
+    }
+
+    if (header->version > QEMU_SAVE_VERSION) {
+        /* convert endianness and try again */
+        qemuSaveImageBswapHeader(header);
+    }
+
+    if (header->version > QEMU_SAVE_VERSION) {
+        virReportError(VIR_ERR_OPERATION_FAILED,
+                       _("image version is not supported (%1$d > %2$d)"),
+                       header->version, QEMU_SAVE_VERSION);
+        return -1;
+    }
+
+    if (header->data_len <= 0) {
+        virReportError(VIR_ERR_OPERATION_FAILED,
+                       _("invalid header data length: %1$d"), header->data_len);
+        return -1;
+    }
+
+    if (header->cookieOffset)
+        xml_len = header->cookieOffset;
+    else
+        xml_len = header->data_len;
+
+    cookie_len = header->data_len - xml_len;
+
+    data->xml = g_new0(char, xml_len);
+
+    if (saferead(fd, data->xml, xml_len) != xml_len) {
+        virReportError(VIR_ERR_OPERATION_FAILED,
+                       "%s", _("failed to read domain XML"));
+        return -1;
+    }
+
+    if (cookie_len > 0) {
+        data->cookie = g_new0(char, cookie_len);
+
+        if (saferead(fd, data->cookie, cookie_len) != cookie_len) {
+            virReportError(VIR_ERR_OPERATION_FAILED, "%s",
+                           _("failed to read cookie"));
+            return -1;
+        }
+    }
+
+    if (ret_data)
+        *ret_data = g_steal_pointer(&data);
+
+    return 0;
+}
+
+
 /**
  * qemuSaveImageDecompressionStart:
  * @data: data from memory state file
@@ -520,6 +598,7 @@ qemuSaveImageGetCompressionProgram(const char *imageFormat,
     return -1;
 }
 
+
 /**
  * qemuSaveImageIsCorrupt:
  * @driver: qemu driver data
@@ -551,26 +630,61 @@ qemuSaveImageIsCorrupt(virQEMUDriver *driver, const char *path)
 
 
 /**
- * qemuSaveImageOpen:
+ * qemuSaveImageGetMetadata:
  * @driver: qemu driver data
  * @qemuCaps: pointer to qemuCaps if the domain is running or NULL
  * @path: path of the save image
  * @ret_def: returns domain definition created from the XML stored in the image
  * @ret_data: returns structure filled with data from the image header
+ *
+ * Open the save image file, read libvirt's save image metadata, and populate
+ * the @ret_def and @ret_data structures. Returns 0 on success and -1 on failure.
+ */
+int
+qemuSaveImageGetMetadata(virQEMUDriver *driver,
+                         virQEMUCaps *qemuCaps,
+                         const char *path,
+                         virDomainDef **ret_def,
+                         virQEMUSaveData **ret_data)
+{
+    g_autoptr(virQEMUDriverConfig) cfg = virQEMUDriverGetConfig(driver);
+    VIR_AUTOCLOSE fd = -1;
+    virQEMUSaveData *data;
+    g_autoptr(virDomainDef) def = NULL;
+    int rc;
+
+    if ((fd = qemuDomainOpenFile(cfg, NULL, path, O_RDONLY, NULL)) < 0)
+        return -1;
+
+    if ((rc = qemuSaveImageReadHeader(fd, ret_data)) < 0)
+        return rc;
+
+    data = *ret_data;
+    /* Create a domain from this XML */
+    if (!(def = virDomainDefParseString(data->xml, driver->xmlopt, qemuCaps,
+                                        VIR_DOMAIN_DEF_PARSE_INACTIVE |
+                                        VIR_DOMAIN_DEF_PARSE_SKIP_VALIDATE)))
+        return -1;
+
+    *ret_def = g_steal_pointer(&def);
+
+    return 0;
+}
+
+
+/**
+ * qemuSaveImageOpen:
+ * @driver: qemu driver data
+ * @path: path of the save image
  * @bypass_cache: bypass cache when opening the file
  * @wrapperFd: returns the file wrapper structure
  * @open_write: open the file for writing (for updates)
  *
- * Returns the opened fd of the save image file and fills the appropriate fields
- * on success. On error returns -1 on most failures, -3 if a corrupt image was
- * detected.
+ * Returns the opened fd of the save image file on success, -1 on failure.
  */
 int
 qemuSaveImageOpen(virQEMUDriver *driver,
-                  virQEMUCaps *qemuCaps,
                   const char *path,
-                  virDomainDef **ret_def,
-                  virQEMUSaveData **ret_data,
                   bool bypass_cache,
                   virFileWrapperFd **wrapperFd,
                   bool open_write)
@@ -578,12 +692,7 @@ qemuSaveImageOpen(virQEMUDriver *driver,
     g_autoptr(virQEMUDriverConfig) cfg = virQEMUDriverGetConfig(driver);
     VIR_AUTOCLOSE fd = -1;
     int ret = -1;
-    g_autoptr(virQEMUSaveData) data = NULL;
-    virQEMUSaveHeader *header;
-    g_autoptr(virDomainDef) def = NULL;
     int oflags = open_write ? O_RDWR : O_RDONLY;
-    size_t xml_len;
-    size_t cookie_len;
 
     if (bypass_cache) {
         int directFlag = virFileDirectFdFlag();
@@ -603,78 +712,10 @@ qemuSaveImageOpen(virQEMUDriver *driver,
                                            VIR_FILE_WRAPPER_BYPASS_CACHE)))
         return -1;
 
-    data = g_new0(virQEMUSaveData, 1);
-
-    header = &data->header;
-    if (saferead(fd, header, sizeof(*header)) != sizeof(*header)) {
-        virReportError(VIR_ERR_OPERATION_FAILED,
-                       "%s", _("failed to read qemu header"));
+    /* Read the header to position the file pointer for QEMU. Unfortunately we
+     * can't use lseek with virFileWrapperFD. */
+    if (qemuSaveImageReadHeader(fd, NULL) < 0)
         return -1;
-    }
-
-    if (memcmp(header->magic, QEMU_SAVE_MAGIC, sizeof(header->magic)) != 0) {
-        if (memcmp(header->magic, QEMU_SAVE_PARTIAL, sizeof(header->magic)) == 0) {
-            virReportError(VIR_ERR_OPERATION_FAILED, "%s",
-                           _("save image is incomplete"));
-            return -1;
-        }
-
-        virReportError(VIR_ERR_OPERATION_FAILED, "%s",
-                       _("image magic is incorrect"));
-        return -1;
-    }
-
-    if (header->version > QEMU_SAVE_VERSION) {
-        /* convert endianness and try again */
-        qemuSaveImageBswapHeader(header);
-    }
-
-    if (header->version > QEMU_SAVE_VERSION) {
-        virReportError(VIR_ERR_OPERATION_FAILED,
-                       _("image version is not supported (%1$d > %2$d)"),
-                       header->version, QEMU_SAVE_VERSION);
-        return -1;
-    }
-
-    if (header->data_len <= 0) {
-        virReportError(VIR_ERR_OPERATION_FAILED,
-                       _("invalid header data length: %1$d"), header->data_len);
-        return -1;
-    }
-
-    if (header->cookieOffset)
-        xml_len = header->cookieOffset;
-    else
-        xml_len = header->data_len;
-
-    cookie_len = header->data_len - xml_len;
-
-    data->xml = g_new0(char, xml_len);
-
-    if (saferead(fd, data->xml, xml_len) != xml_len) {
-        virReportError(VIR_ERR_OPERATION_FAILED,
-                       "%s", _("failed to read domain XML"));
-        return -1;
-    }
-
-    if (cookie_len > 0) {
-        data->cookie = g_new0(char, cookie_len);
-
-        if (saferead(fd, data->cookie, cookie_len) != cookie_len) {
-            virReportError(VIR_ERR_OPERATION_FAILED, "%s",
-                           _("failed to read cookie"));
-            return -1;
-        }
-    }
-
-    /* Create a domain from this XML */
-    if (!(def = virDomainDefParseString(data->xml, driver->xmlopt, qemuCaps,
-                                        VIR_DOMAIN_DEF_PARSE_INACTIVE |
-                                        VIR_DOMAIN_DEF_PARSE_SKIP_VALIDATE)))
-        return -1;
-
-    *ret_def = g_steal_pointer(&def);
-    *ret_data = g_steal_pointer(&data);
 
     ret = fd;
     fd = -1;
diff --git a/src/qemu/qemu_saveimage.h b/src/qemu/qemu_saveimage.h
index dc49f8463f..53ae222467 100644
--- a/src/qemu/qemu_saveimage.h
+++ b/src/qemu/qemu_saveimage.h
@@ -74,16 +74,21 @@ qemuSaveImageIsCorrupt(virQEMUDriver *driver,
                        const char *path)
     ATTRIBUTE_NONNULL(2);
 
+int
+qemuSaveImageGetMetadata(virQEMUDriver *driver,
+                         virQEMUCaps *qemuCaps,
+                         const char *path,
+                         virDomainDef **ret_def,
+                         virQEMUSaveData **ret_data)
+    ATTRIBUTE_NONNULL(4) ATTRIBUTE_NONNULL(5);
+
 int
 qemuSaveImageOpen(virQEMUDriver *driver,
-                  virQEMUCaps *qemuCaps,
                   const char *path,
-                  virDomainDef **ret_def,
-                  virQEMUSaveData **ret_data,
                   bool bypass_cache,
                   virFileWrapperFd **wrapperFd,
                   bool open_write)
-    ATTRIBUTE_NONNULL(3) ATTRIBUTE_NONNULL(4);
+    ATTRIBUTE_NONNULL(2) ATTRIBUTE_NONNULL(4);
 
 int
 qemuSaveImageGetCompressionProgram(const char *imageFormat,
diff --git a/src/qemu/qemu_snapshot.c b/src/qemu/qemu_snapshot.c
index b9c3983472..7ce018b026 100644
--- a/src/qemu/qemu_snapshot.c
+++ b/src/qemu/qemu_snapshot.c
@@ -2377,10 +2377,12 @@ qemuSnapshotRevertExternalPrepare(virDomainObj *vm,
         g_autoptr(virDomainDef) savedef = NULL;
 
         memdata->path = snapdef->memorysnapshotfile;
-        memdata->fd = qemuSaveImageOpen(driver, NULL, memdata->path,
-                                        &savedef, &memdata->data,
-                                        false, NULL, false);
+        if (qemuSaveImageGetMetadata(driver, NULL, memdata->path, &savedef,
+                                     &memdata->data) < 0)
+            return -1;
 
+        memdata->fd = qemuSaveImageOpen(driver, memdata->path,
+                                        false, NULL, false);
         if (memdata->fd < 0)
             return -1;