diff --git a/src/util/vircgroupv2.c b/src/util/vircgroupv2.c
index 0663c67190..00a01586b7 100644
--- a/src/util/vircgroupv2.c
+++ b/src/util/vircgroupv2.c
@@ -194,12 +194,16 @@ virCgroupV2DetectMounts(virCgroupPtr group,
 static int
 virCgroupV2DetectPlacement(virCgroupPtr group,
                            const char *path,
-                           const char *controllers ATTRIBUTE_UNUSED,
+                           const char *controllers,
                            const char *selfpath)
 {
     if (group->unified.placement)
         return 0;
 
+    /* controllers == "" indicates the cgroupv2 controller path */
+    if (STRNEQ(controllers, ""))
+        return 0;
+
     /*
      * selfpath == "/" + path="" -> "/"
      * selfpath == "/libvirt.service" + path == "" -> "/libvirt.service"