diff --git a/src/qemu/qemu_domain.c b/src/qemu/qemu_domain.c
index 614f86df21..18b8dd7ce4 100644
--- a/src/qemu/qemu_domain.c
+++ b/src/qemu/qemu_domain.c
@@ -4306,12 +4306,6 @@ qemuDomainDeviceDefValidateControllerPCIOld(const virDomainControllerDef *contro
         break;
 
     case VIR_DOMAIN_CONTROLLER_MODEL_PCI_EXPANDER_BUS:
-        if (pciopts->busNr == -1) {
-            virReportError(VIR_ERR_INTERNAL_ERROR, "%s",
-                           _("autogenerated pci-expander-bus options not set"));
-            return -1;
-        }
-
         if (!virQEMUCapsGet(qemuCaps, QEMU_CAPS_DEVICE_PXB)) {
             virReportError(VIR_ERR_CONFIG_UNSUPPORTED, "%s",
                            _("the pxb controller is not supported in this "
@@ -4385,12 +4379,6 @@ qemuDomainDeviceDefValidateControllerPCIOld(const virDomainControllerDef *contro
         break;
 
     case VIR_DOMAIN_CONTROLLER_MODEL_PCIE_EXPANDER_BUS:
-        if (pciopts->busNr == -1) {
-            virReportError(VIR_ERR_INTERNAL_ERROR, "%s",
-                           _("autogenerated pcie-expander-bus options not set"));
-            return -1;
-        }
-
         if (!virQEMUCapsGet(qemuCaps, QEMU_CAPS_DEVICE_PXB_PCIE)) {
             virReportError(VIR_ERR_CONFIG_UNSUPPORTED, "%s",
                            _("the pxb-pcie controller is not supported "
@@ -4705,6 +4693,36 @@ qemuDomainDeviceDefValidateControllerPCI(const virDomainControllerDef *cont,
         return -1;
     }
 
+    /* busNr */
+    switch ((virDomainControllerModelPCI) cont->model) {
+    case VIR_DOMAIN_CONTROLLER_MODEL_PCI_EXPANDER_BUS:
+    case VIR_DOMAIN_CONTROLLER_MODEL_PCIE_EXPANDER_BUS:
+        if (pciopts->busNr == -1) {
+            virReportControllerMissingOption(cont, model, modelName, "busNr");
+            return -1;
+        }
+        break;
+
+    case VIR_DOMAIN_CONTROLLER_MODEL_PCI_ROOT:
+    case VIR_DOMAIN_CONTROLLER_MODEL_PCI_BRIDGE:
+    case VIR_DOMAIN_CONTROLLER_MODEL_DMI_TO_PCI_BRIDGE:
+    case VIR_DOMAIN_CONTROLLER_MODEL_PCIE_ROOT_PORT:
+    case VIR_DOMAIN_CONTROLLER_MODEL_PCIE_SWITCH_UPSTREAM_PORT:
+    case VIR_DOMAIN_CONTROLLER_MODEL_PCIE_SWITCH_DOWNSTREAM_PORT:
+    case VIR_DOMAIN_CONTROLLER_MODEL_PCIE_ROOT:
+        if (pciopts->busNr != -1) {
+            virReportControllerInvalidOption(cont, model, modelName, "busNr");
+            return -1;
+        }
+        break;
+
+    case VIR_DOMAIN_CONTROLLER_MODEL_PCI_DEFAULT:
+    case VIR_DOMAIN_CONTROLLER_MODEL_PCI_LAST:
+    default:
+        virReportEnumRangeError(virDomainControllerModelPCI, cont->model);
+        return -1;
+    }
+
     return qemuDomainDeviceDefValidateControllerPCIOld(cont, def, qemuCaps);
 }
 
diff --git a/tests/qemuxml2argvdata/pcie-expander-bus.xml b/tests/qemuxml2argvdata/pcie-expander-bus.xml
index ac01c26ccf..237430a1e5 100644
--- a/tests/qemuxml2argvdata/pcie-expander-bus.xml
+++ b/tests/qemuxml2argvdata/pcie-expander-bus.xml
@@ -35,7 +35,7 @@
       <address type='pci' bus='0x00' slot='4'/>
     </controller>
     <controller type='pci' index='2' model='pcie-root-port'>
-      <target busNr='220'>
+      <target>
         <node>1</node>
       </target>
       <address type='pci' bus='0x01'/>
diff --git a/tests/qemuxml2xmloutdata/pcie-expander-bus.xml b/tests/qemuxml2xmloutdata/pcie-expander-bus.xml
index aaac423cac..d5e741b80d 100644
--- a/tests/qemuxml2xmloutdata/pcie-expander-bus.xml
+++ b/tests/qemuxml2xmloutdata/pcie-expander-bus.xml
@@ -36,7 +36,7 @@
     </controller>
     <controller type='pci' index='2' model='pcie-root-port'>
       <model name='ioh3420'/>
-      <target chassis='2' port='0x0' busNr='220'>
+      <target chassis='2' port='0x0'>
         <node>1</node>
       </target>
       <address type='pci' domain='0x0000' bus='0x01' slot='0x00' function='0x0'/>