diff --git a/src/conf/cpu_conf.c b/src/conf/cpu_conf.c
index a38101d024..2a1bd7c9b2 100644
--- a/src/conf/cpu_conf.c
+++ b/src/conf/cpu_conf.c
@@ -683,7 +683,7 @@ virCPUDefFormatBufFull(virBufferPtr buf,
 {
     int ret = -1;
     virBuffer attributeBuf = VIR_BUFFER_INITIALIZER;
-    virBuffer childrenBuf = VIR_BUFFER_INITIALIZER;
+    virBuffer childrenBuf = VIR_BUFFER_INIT_CHILD(buf);
 
     if (!def)
         return 0;
@@ -718,7 +718,6 @@ virCPUDefFormatBufFull(virBufferPtr buf,
     }
 
     /* Format children */
-    virBufferSetChildIndent(&childrenBuf, buf);
     if (def->type == VIR_CPU_TYPE_HOST && def->arch)
         virBufferAsprintf(&childrenBuf, "<arch>%s</arch>\n",
                           virArchToString(def->arch));