diff --git a/src/qemu/qemu_driver.c b/src/qemu/qemu_driver.c
index 2a1a7f52f1..ee1adb0300 100644
--- a/src/qemu/qemu_driver.c
+++ b/src/qemu/qemu_driver.c
@@ -3998,7 +3998,7 @@ processSerialChangedEvent(virQEMUDriver *driver,
         memset(&dev, 0, sizeof(dev));
     }
 
-    if (qemuDomainObjBeginJob(driver, vm, VIR_JOB_MODIFY) < 0)
+    if (qemuDomainObjBeginJob(driver, vm, VIR_JOB_MODIFY_MIGRATION_SAFE) < 0)
         return;
 
     if (!virDomainObjIsActive(vm)) {