diff --git a/src/remote/remote_driver.c b/src/remote/remote_driver.c
index 8c055e0347..5755eecf54 100644
--- a/src/remote/remote_driver.c
+++ b/src/remote/remote_driver.c
@@ -1225,7 +1225,7 @@ doRemoteOpen(virConnectPtr conn,
                                                 username,
                                                 !tty,
                                                 !verify,
-                                                netcat ? netcat : "nc",
+                                                netcat,
                                                 keyfile,
                                                 sockname)))
             goto failed;
diff --git a/src/rpc/virnetclient.c b/src/rpc/virnetclient.c
index 9c76eaca5e..bb8cbe3cb5 100644
--- a/src/rpc/virnetclient.c
+++ b/src/rpc/virnetclient.c
@@ -419,6 +419,9 @@ virNetClientSSHHelperCommand(const char *netcatPath,
 {
     g_autofree char *netcatPathSafe = virNetClientDoubleEscapeShell(netcatPath);
 
+    if (!netcatPath)
+        netcatPath = "nc";
+
     return g_strdup_printf(
         "sh -c "
         "'if '%s' -q 2>&1 | grep \"requires an argument\" >/dev/null 2>&1; then "
@@ -505,7 +508,6 @@ virNetClientPtr virNetClientNewLibSSH2(const char *host,
     DEFAULT_VALUE(host, "localhost");
     DEFAULT_VALUE(port, "22");
     DEFAULT_VALUE(username, "root");
-    DEFAULT_VALUE(netcatPath, "nc");
     DEFAULT_VALUE(knownHostsVerify, "normal");
 
     command = virNetClientSSHHelperCommand(netcatPath, socketPath);
@@ -566,7 +568,6 @@ virNetClientPtr virNetClientNewLibssh(const char *host,
     DEFAULT_VALUE(host, "localhost");
     DEFAULT_VALUE(port, "22");
     DEFAULT_VALUE(username, "root");
-    DEFAULT_VALUE(netcatPath, "nc");
     DEFAULT_VALUE(knownHostsVerify, "normal");
 
     command = virNetClientSSHHelperCommand(netcatPath, socketPath);