diff --git a/src/qemu/qemu_monitor_json.c b/src/qemu/qemu_monitor_json.c
index 757595dd74..f208dd05a0 100644
--- a/src/qemu/qemu_monitor_json.c
+++ b/src/qemu/qemu_monitor_json.c
@@ -528,7 +528,7 @@ static void qemuMonitorJSONHandleShutdown(qemuMonitorPtr mon, virJSONValuePtr da
     bool guest = false;
     virTristateBool guest_initiated = VIR_TRISTATE_BOOL_ABSENT;
 
-    if (virJSONValueObjectGetBoolean(data, "guest", &guest) == 0)
+    if (data && virJSONValueObjectGetBoolean(data, "guest", &guest) == 0)
         guest_initiated = guest ? VIR_TRISTATE_BOOL_YES : VIR_TRISTATE_BOOL_NO;
 
     qemuMonitorEmitShutdown(mon, guest_initiated);