diff --git a/src/qemu/qemu_hotplug.c b/src/qemu/qemu_hotplug.c
index ad31eba630..9b608162fe 100644
--- a/src/qemu/qemu_hotplug.c
+++ b/src/qemu/qemu_hotplug.c
@@ -1213,7 +1213,8 @@ error:
 
 cleanup:
     usbDeviceListFree(list);
-    usbDeviceListSteal(driver->activeUsbHostdevs, usb);
+    if (usb)
+        usbDeviceListSteal(driver->activeUsbHostdevs, usb);
     return -1;
 }