diff --git a/src/storage/storage_driver.c b/src/storage/storage_driver.c
index 8dfa2497fc..97e0d9b3a0 100644
--- a/src/storage/storage_driver.c
+++ b/src/storage/storage_driver.c
@@ -194,38 +194,39 @@ storageDriverAutostartCallback(virStoragePoolObj *obj,
 {
     virStoragePoolDef *def = virStoragePoolObjGetDef(obj);
     virStorageBackend *backend;
-    bool started = false;
+    g_autofree char *stateFile = NULL;
 
     if (!(backend = virStorageBackendForType(def->type)))
         return;
 
-    if (virStoragePoolObjIsAutostart(obj) &&
-        !virStoragePoolObjIsActive(obj)) {
+    if (!virStoragePoolObjIsAutostart(obj))
+        return;
 
-        virStoragePoolObjSetStarting(obj, true);
-        if (backend->startPool &&
-            backend->startPool(obj) < 0) {
-            virReportError(VIR_ERR_INTERNAL_ERROR,
-                           _("Failed to autostart storage pool '%s': %s"),
-                           def->name, virGetLastErrorMessage());
-            goto cleanup;
-        }
-        started = true;
+    if (virStoragePoolObjIsActive(obj))
+        return;
+
+    VIR_DEBUG("autostarting storage pool '%s'", def->name);
+
+    virStoragePoolObjSetStarting(obj, true);
+
+    if (backend->startPool &&
+        backend->startPool(obj) < 0) {
+        virReportError(VIR_ERR_INTERNAL_ERROR,
+                       _("Failed to autostart storage pool '%s': %s"),
+                       def->name, virGetLastErrorMessage());
+        goto cleanup;
     }
 
-    if (started) {
-        g_autofree char *stateFile = NULL;
+    stateFile = virFileBuildPath(driver->stateDir, def->name, ".xml");
 
-        stateFile = virFileBuildPath(driver->stateDir, def->name, ".xml");
-        if (!stateFile ||
-            virStoragePoolSaveState(stateFile, def) < 0 ||
-            storagePoolRefreshImpl(backend, obj, stateFile) < 0) {
-            virReportError(VIR_ERR_INTERNAL_ERROR,
-                           _("Failed to autostart storage pool '%s': %s"),
-                           def->name, virGetLastErrorMessage());
-        } else {
-            virStoragePoolObjSetActive(obj, true);
-        }
+    if (!stateFile ||
+        virStoragePoolSaveState(stateFile, def) < 0 ||
+        storagePoolRefreshImpl(backend, obj, stateFile) < 0) {
+        virReportError(VIR_ERR_INTERNAL_ERROR,
+                       _("Failed to autostart storage pool '%s': %s"),
+                       def->name, virGetLastErrorMessage());
+    } else {
+        virStoragePoolObjSetActive(obj, true);
     }
 
  cleanup: