diff --git a/src/qemu/qemu_domain.c b/src/qemu/qemu_domain.c
index 5928b0225a..137d4d5195 100644
--- a/src/qemu/qemu_domain.c
+++ b/src/qemu/qemu_domain.c
@@ -3615,19 +3615,6 @@ qemuDomainObjEnterMonitorAsync(virQEMUDriverPtr driver,
 }
 
 
-/**
- * qemuDomainGetAgent:
- * @vm: domain object
- *
- * Returns the agent pointer of @vm;
- */
-qemuAgentPtr
-qemuDomainGetAgent(virDomainObjPtr vm)
-{
-    return (((qemuDomainObjPrivatePtr)(vm->privateData))->agent);
-}
-
-
 /*
  * obj must be locked before calling
  *
@@ -3637,16 +3624,20 @@ qemuDomainGetAgent(virDomainObjPtr vm)
  *
  * To be followed with qemuDomainObjExitAgent() once complete
  */
-void
+qemuAgentPtr
 qemuDomainObjEnterAgent(virDomainObjPtr obj)
 {
     qemuDomainObjPrivatePtr priv = obj->privateData;
+    qemuAgentPtr agent = priv->agent;
 
     VIR_DEBUG("Entering agent (agent=%p vm=%p name=%s)",
               priv->agent, obj, obj->def->name);
-    virObjectLock(priv->agent);
-    virObjectRef(priv->agent);
+
+    virObjectLock(agent);
+    virObjectRef(agent);
     virObjectUnlock(obj);
+
+    return agent;
 }
 
 
@@ -3655,22 +3646,14 @@ qemuDomainObjEnterAgent(virDomainObjPtr obj)
  * Should be paired with an earlier qemuDomainObjEnterAgent() call
  */
 void
-qemuDomainObjExitAgent(virDomainObjPtr obj)
+qemuDomainObjExitAgent(virDomainObjPtr obj, qemuAgentPtr agent)
 {
-    qemuDomainObjPrivatePtr priv = obj->privateData;
-    bool hasRefs;
-
-    hasRefs = virObjectUnref(priv->agent);
-
-    if (hasRefs)
-        virObjectUnlock(priv->agent);
-
+    virObjectUnlock(agent);
+    virObjectUnref(agent);
     virObjectLock(obj);
-    VIR_DEBUG("Exited agent (agent=%p vm=%p name=%s)",
-              priv->agent, obj, obj->def->name);
 
-    if (!hasRefs)
-        priv->agent = NULL;
+    VIR_DEBUG("Exited agent (agent=%p vm=%p name=%s)",
+              agent, obj, obj->def->name);
 }
 
 void qemuDomainObjEnterRemote(virDomainObjPtr obj)
diff --git a/src/qemu/qemu_domain.h b/src/qemu/qemu_domain.h
index 42738234bd..7650ff392d 100644
--- a/src/qemu/qemu_domain.h
+++ b/src/qemu/qemu_domain.h
@@ -449,11 +449,10 @@ int qemuDomainObjEnterMonitorAsync(virQEMUDriverPtr driver,
     ATTRIBUTE_NONNULL(1) ATTRIBUTE_NONNULL(2) ATTRIBUTE_RETURN_CHECK;
 
 
-qemuAgentPtr qemuDomainGetAgent(virDomainObjPtr vm);
-void qemuDomainObjEnterAgent(virDomainObjPtr obj)
-    ATTRIBUTE_NONNULL(1);
-void qemuDomainObjExitAgent(virDomainObjPtr obj)
+qemuAgentPtr qemuDomainObjEnterAgent(virDomainObjPtr obj)
     ATTRIBUTE_NONNULL(1);
+void qemuDomainObjExitAgent(virDomainObjPtr obj, qemuAgentPtr agent)
+    ATTRIBUTE_NONNULL(1) ATTRIBUTE_NONNULL(2);
 
 
 void qemuDomainObjEnterRemote(virDomainObjPtr obj)
diff --git a/src/qemu/qemu_driver.c b/src/qemu/qemu_driver.c
index ab030fe4f6..2f420d52c0 100644
--- a/src/qemu/qemu_driver.c
+++ b/src/qemu/qemu_driver.c
@@ -2013,10 +2013,11 @@ static int qemuDomainShutdownFlags(virDomainPtr dom, unsigned int flags)
 
 
     if (useAgent) {
+        qemuAgentPtr agent;
         qemuDomainSetFakeReboot(driver, vm, false);
-        qemuDomainObjEnterAgent(vm);
-        ret = qemuAgentShutdown(priv->agent, agentFlag);
-        qemuDomainObjExitAgent(vm);
+        agent = qemuDomainObjEnterAgent(vm);
+        ret = qemuAgentShutdown(agent, agentFlag);
+        qemuDomainObjExitAgent(vm, agent);
     }
 
     /* If we are not enforced to use just an agent, try ACPI
@@ -2106,10 +2107,12 @@ qemuDomainReboot(virDomainPtr dom, unsigned int flags)
     }
 
     if (useAgent) {
+        qemuAgentPtr agent;
+
         qemuDomainSetFakeReboot(driver, vm, false);
-        qemuDomainObjEnterAgent(vm);
-        ret = qemuAgentShutdown(priv->agent, agentFlag);
-        qemuDomainObjExitAgent(vm);
+        agent = qemuDomainObjEnterAgent(vm);
+        ret = qemuAgentShutdown(agent, agentFlag);
+        qemuDomainObjExitAgent(vm, agent);
     }
 
     /* If we are not enforced to use just an agent, try ACPI
@@ -4679,6 +4682,7 @@ qemuDomainSetVcpusAgent(virDomainObjPtr vm,
                         unsigned int nvcpus)
 {
     qemuAgentCPUInfoPtr cpuinfo = NULL;
+    qemuAgentPtr agent;
     int ncpuinfo;
     int ret = -1;
 
@@ -4693,9 +4697,10 @@ qemuDomainSetVcpusAgent(virDomainObjPtr vm,
         goto cleanup;
     }
 
-    qemuDomainObjEnterAgent(vm);
-    ncpuinfo = qemuAgentGetVCPUs(qemuDomainGetAgent(vm), &cpuinfo);
-    qemuDomainObjExitAgent(vm);
+    agent = qemuDomainObjEnterAgent(vm);
+    ncpuinfo = qemuAgentGetVCPUs(agent, &cpuinfo);
+    qemuDomainObjExitAgent(vm, agent);
+    agent = NULL;
 
     if (ncpuinfo < 0)
         goto cleanup;
@@ -4706,9 +4711,9 @@ qemuDomainSetVcpusAgent(virDomainObjPtr vm,
     if (!qemuDomainAgentAvailable(vm, true))
         goto cleanup;
 
-    qemuDomainObjEnterAgent(vm);
-    ret = qemuAgentSetVCPUs(qemuDomainGetAgent(vm), cpuinfo, ncpuinfo);
-    qemuDomainObjExitAgent(vm);
+    agent = qemuDomainObjEnterAgent(vm);
+    ret = qemuAgentSetVCPUs(agent, cpuinfo, ncpuinfo);
+    qemuDomainObjExitAgent(vm, agent);
 
  cleanup:
     VIR_FREE(cpuinfo);
@@ -5481,11 +5486,11 @@ static int
 qemuDomainGetVcpusFlags(virDomainPtr dom, unsigned int flags)
 {
     virQEMUDriverPtr driver = dom->conn->privateData;
-    qemuDomainObjPrivatePtr priv;
     virDomainObjPtr vm;
     virDomainDefPtr def;
     int ret = -1;
     qemuAgentCPUInfoPtr cpuinfo = NULL;
+    qemuAgentPtr agent;
     int ncpuinfo = -1;
     size_t i;
 
@@ -5497,8 +5502,6 @@ qemuDomainGetVcpusFlags(virDomainPtr dom, unsigned int flags)
     if (!(vm = qemuDomObjFromDomain(dom)))
         return -1;
 
-    priv = vm->privateData;
-
     if (virDomainGetVcpusFlagsEnsureACL(dom->conn, vm->def, flags) < 0)
         goto cleanup;
 
@@ -5519,9 +5522,9 @@ qemuDomainGetVcpusFlags(virDomainPtr dom, unsigned int flags)
         if (!qemuDomainAgentAvailable(vm, true))
             goto endjob;
 
-        qemuDomainObjEnterAgent(vm);
-        ncpuinfo = qemuAgentGetVCPUs(priv->agent, &cpuinfo);
-        qemuDomainObjExitAgent(vm);
+        agent = qemuDomainObjEnterAgent(vm);
+        ncpuinfo = qemuAgentGetVCPUs(agent, &cpuinfo);
+        qemuDomainObjExitAgent(vm, agent);
 
  endjob:
         qemuDomainObjEndJob(driver, vm);
@@ -13458,15 +13461,15 @@ qemuDomainSnapshotFSFreeze(virQEMUDriverPtr driver ATTRIBUTE_UNUSED,
                            const char **mountpoints,
                            unsigned int nmountpoints)
 {
-    qemuDomainObjPrivatePtr priv = vm->privateData;
+    qemuAgentPtr agent;
     int frozen;
 
     if (!qemuDomainAgentAvailable(vm, true))
         return -1;
 
-    qemuDomainObjEnterAgent(vm);
-    frozen = qemuAgentFSFreeze(priv->agent, mountpoints, nmountpoints);
-    qemuDomainObjExitAgent(vm);
+    agent = qemuDomainObjEnterAgent(vm);
+    frozen = qemuAgentFSFreeze(agent, mountpoints, nmountpoints);
+    qemuDomainObjExitAgent(vm, agent);
     return frozen < 0 ? -2 : frozen;
 }
 
@@ -13477,20 +13480,20 @@ qemuDomainSnapshotFSThaw(virQEMUDriverPtr driver ATTRIBUTE_UNUSED,
                          virDomainObjPtr vm,
                          bool report)
 {
-    qemuDomainObjPrivatePtr priv = vm->privateData;
+    qemuAgentPtr agent;
     int thawed;
     virErrorPtr err = NULL;
 
     if (!qemuDomainAgentAvailable(vm, report))
         return -1;
 
-    qemuDomainObjEnterAgent(vm);
+    agent = qemuDomainObjEnterAgent(vm);
     if (!report)
         err = virSaveLastError();
-    thawed = qemuAgentFSThaw(priv->agent);
+    thawed = qemuAgentFSThaw(agent);
     if (!report)
         virSetError(err);
-    qemuDomainObjExitAgent(vm);
+    qemuDomainObjExitAgent(vm, agent);
 
     virFreeError(err);
 
@@ -18041,6 +18044,7 @@ qemuDomainPMSuspendForDuration(virDomainPtr dom,
     virQEMUDriverPtr driver = dom->conn->privateData;
     qemuDomainObjPrivatePtr priv;
     virDomainObjPtr vm;
+    qemuAgentPtr agent;
     int ret = -1;
 
     virCheckFlags(0, -1);
@@ -18106,9 +18110,9 @@ qemuDomainPMSuspendForDuration(virDomainPtr dom,
     if (!qemuDomainAgentAvailable(vm, true))
         goto endjob;
 
-    qemuDomainObjEnterAgent(vm);
-    ret = qemuAgentSuspend(priv->agent, target);
-    qemuDomainObjExitAgent(vm);
+    agent = qemuDomainObjEnterAgent(vm);
+    ret = qemuAgentSuspend(agent, target);
+    qemuDomainObjExitAgent(vm, agent);
 
  endjob:
     qemuDomainObjEndJob(driver, vm);
@@ -18196,15 +18200,13 @@ qemuDomainQemuAgentCommand(virDomainPtr domain,
     virDomainObjPtr vm;
     int ret = -1;
     char *result = NULL;
-    qemuDomainObjPrivatePtr priv;
+    qemuAgentPtr agent;
 
     virCheckFlags(0, NULL);
 
     if (!(vm = qemuDomObjFromDomain(domain)))
         goto cleanup;
 
-    priv = vm->privateData;
-
     if (virDomainQemuAgentCommandEnsureACL(domain->conn, vm->def) < 0)
         goto cleanup;
 
@@ -18220,9 +18222,9 @@ qemuDomainQemuAgentCommand(virDomainPtr domain,
     if (!qemuDomainAgentAvailable(vm, true))
         goto endjob;
 
-    qemuDomainObjEnterAgent(vm);
-    ret = qemuAgentArbitraryCommand(priv->agent, cmd, &result, timeout);
-    qemuDomainObjExitAgent(vm);
+    agent = qemuDomainObjEnterAgent(vm);
+    ret = qemuAgentArbitraryCommand(agent, cmd, &result, timeout);
+    qemuDomainObjExitAgent(vm, agent);
     if (ret < 0)
         VIR_FREE(result);
 
@@ -18291,8 +18293,8 @@ qemuDomainFSTrim(virDomainPtr dom,
 {
     virQEMUDriverPtr driver = dom->conn->privateData;
     virDomainObjPtr vm;
+    qemuAgentPtr agent;
     int ret = -1;
-    qemuDomainObjPrivatePtr priv;
 
     virCheckFlags(0, -1);
 
@@ -18306,8 +18308,6 @@ qemuDomainFSTrim(virDomainPtr dom,
     if (!(vm = qemuDomObjFromDomain(dom)))
         goto cleanup;
 
-    priv = vm->privateData;
-
     if (virDomainFSTrimEnsureACL(dom->conn, vm->def) < 0)
         goto cleanup;
 
@@ -18323,9 +18323,9 @@ qemuDomainFSTrim(virDomainPtr dom,
         goto endjob;
     }
 
-    qemuDomainObjEnterAgent(vm);
-    ret = qemuAgentFSTrim(priv->agent, minimum);
-    qemuDomainObjExitAgent(vm);
+    agent = qemuDomainObjEnterAgent(vm);
+    ret = qemuAgentFSTrim(agent, minimum);
+    qemuDomainObjExitAgent(vm, agent);
 
  endjob:
     qemuDomainObjEndJob(driver, vm);
@@ -18484,7 +18484,7 @@ qemuDomainGetTime(virDomainPtr dom,
 {
     virQEMUDriverPtr driver = dom->conn->privateData;
     virDomainObjPtr vm = NULL;
-    qemuDomainObjPrivatePtr priv;
+    qemuAgentPtr agent;
     int ret = -1;
     int rv;
 
@@ -18496,8 +18496,6 @@ qemuDomainGetTime(virDomainPtr dom,
     if (virDomainGetTimeEnsureACL(dom->conn, vm->def) < 0)
         goto cleanup;
 
-    priv = vm->privateData;
-
     if (qemuDomainObjBeginJob(driver, vm, QEMU_JOB_QUERY) < 0)
         goto cleanup;
 
@@ -18510,9 +18508,9 @@ qemuDomainGetTime(virDomainPtr dom,
     if (!qemuDomainAgentAvailable(vm, true))
         goto endjob;
 
-    qemuDomainObjEnterAgent(vm);
-    rv = qemuAgentGetTime(priv->agent, seconds, nseconds);
-    qemuDomainObjExitAgent(vm);
+    agent = qemuDomainObjEnterAgent(vm);
+    rv = qemuAgentGetTime(agent, seconds, nseconds);
+    qemuDomainObjExitAgent(vm, agent);
 
     if (rv < 0)
         goto endjob;
@@ -18536,6 +18534,7 @@ qemuDomainSetTime(virDomainPtr dom,
     virQEMUDriverPtr driver = dom->conn->privateData;
     qemuDomainObjPrivatePtr priv;
     virDomainObjPtr vm;
+    qemuAgentPtr agent;
     bool rtcSync = flags & VIR_DOMAIN_TIME_SYNC;
     int ret = -1;
     int rv;
@@ -18574,9 +18573,9 @@ qemuDomainSetTime(virDomainPtr dom,
     if (!qemuDomainAgentAvailable(vm, true))
         goto endjob;
 
-    qemuDomainObjEnterAgent(vm);
-    rv = qemuAgentSetTime(priv->agent, seconds, nseconds, rtcSync);
-    qemuDomainObjExitAgent(vm);
+    agent = qemuDomainObjEnterAgent(vm);
+    rv = qemuAgentSetTime(agent, seconds, nseconds, rtcSync);
+    qemuDomainObjExitAgent(vm, agent);
 
     if (rv < 0)
         goto endjob;
@@ -19679,8 +19678,8 @@ qemuDomainGetFSInfo(virDomainPtr dom,
                     unsigned int flags)
 {
     virQEMUDriverPtr driver = dom->conn->privateData;
-    qemuDomainObjPrivatePtr priv;
     virDomainObjPtr vm;
+    qemuAgentPtr agent;
     int ret = -1;
 
     virCheckFlags(0, ret);
@@ -19691,8 +19690,6 @@ qemuDomainGetFSInfo(virDomainPtr dom,
     if (virDomainGetFSInfoEnsureACL(dom->conn, vm->def) < 0)
         goto cleanup;
 
-    priv = vm->privateData;
-
     if (qemuDomainObjBeginJob(driver, vm, QEMU_JOB_QUERY) < 0)
         goto cleanup;
 
@@ -19705,9 +19702,9 @@ qemuDomainGetFSInfo(virDomainPtr dom,
     if (!qemuDomainAgentAvailable(vm, true))
         goto endjob;
 
-    qemuDomainObjEnterAgent(vm);
-    ret = qemuAgentGetFSInfo(priv->agent, info, vm->def);
-    qemuDomainObjExitAgent(vm);
+    agent = qemuDomainObjEnterAgent(vm);
+    ret = qemuAgentGetFSInfo(agent, info, vm->def);
+    qemuDomainObjExitAgent(vm, agent);
 
  endjob:
     qemuDomainObjEndJob(driver, vm);
@@ -19724,8 +19721,8 @@ qemuDomainInterfaceAddresses(virDomainPtr dom,
                              unsigned int flags)
 {
     virQEMUDriverPtr driver = dom->conn->privateData;
-    qemuDomainObjPrivatePtr priv = NULL;
     virDomainObjPtr vm = NULL;
+    qemuAgentPtr agent;
     int ret = -1;
 
     virCheckFlags(0, -1);
@@ -19733,8 +19730,6 @@ qemuDomainInterfaceAddresses(virDomainPtr dom,
     if (!(vm = qemuDomObjFromDomain(dom)))
         goto cleanup;
 
-    priv = vm->privateData;
-
     if (virDomainInterfaceAddressesEnsureACL(dom->conn, vm->def) < 0)
         goto cleanup;
 
@@ -19756,9 +19751,9 @@ qemuDomainInterfaceAddresses(virDomainPtr dom,
         if (!qemuDomainAgentAvailable(vm, true))
             goto endjob;
 
-        qemuDomainObjEnterAgent(vm);
-        ret = qemuAgentGetInterfaces(priv->agent, ifaces);
-        qemuDomainObjExitAgent(vm);
+        agent = qemuDomainObjEnterAgent(vm);
+        ret = qemuAgentGetInterfaces(agent, ifaces);
+        qemuDomainObjExitAgent(vm, agent);
 
     endjob:
         qemuDomainObjEndJob(driver, vm);
@@ -19882,8 +19877,8 @@ qemuDomainSetUserPassword(virDomainPtr dom,
                           unsigned int flags)
 {
     virQEMUDriverPtr driver = dom->conn->privateData;
-    qemuDomainObjPrivatePtr priv;
     virDomainObjPtr vm;
+    qemuAgentPtr agent;
     int ret = -1;
     int rv;
 
@@ -19895,8 +19890,6 @@ qemuDomainSetUserPassword(virDomainPtr dom,
     if (virDomainSetUserPasswordEnsureACL(dom->conn, vm->def) < 0)
         goto cleanup;
 
-    priv = vm->privateData;
-
     if (qemuDomainObjBeginJob(driver, vm, QEMU_JOB_MODIFY) < 0)
         goto cleanup;
 
@@ -19909,10 +19902,10 @@ qemuDomainSetUserPassword(virDomainPtr dom,
     if (!qemuDomainAgentAvailable(vm, true))
         goto endjob;
 
-    qemuDomainObjEnterAgent(vm);
-    rv = qemuAgentSetUserPassword(priv->agent, user, password,
+    agent = qemuDomainObjEnterAgent(vm);
+    rv = qemuAgentSetUserPassword(agent, user, password,
                                   flags & VIR_DOMAIN_PASSWORD_ENCRYPTED);
-    qemuDomainObjExitAgent(vm);
+    qemuDomainObjExitAgent(vm, agent);
 
     if (rv < 0)
         goto endjob;
@@ -20142,6 +20135,7 @@ qemuDomainGetGuestVcpus(virDomainPtr dom,
 {
     virQEMUDriverPtr driver = dom->conn->privateData;
     virDomainObjPtr vm = NULL;
+    qemuAgentPtr agent;
     qemuAgentCPUInfoPtr info = NULL;
     int ninfo = 0;
     int ret = -1;
@@ -20160,9 +20154,9 @@ qemuDomainGetGuestVcpus(virDomainPtr dom,
     if (!qemuDomainAgentAvailable(vm, true))
         goto endjob;
 
-    qemuDomainObjEnterAgent(vm);
-    ninfo = qemuAgentGetVCPUs(qemuDomainGetAgent(vm), &info);
-    qemuDomainObjExitAgent(vm);
+    agent = qemuDomainObjEnterAgent(vm);
+    ninfo = qemuAgentGetVCPUs(agent, &info);
+    qemuDomainObjExitAgent(vm, agent);
 
     if (ninfo < 0)
         goto endjob;
@@ -20192,6 +20186,7 @@ qemuDomainSetGuestVcpus(virDomainPtr dom,
     virDomainObjPtr vm = NULL;
     virBitmapPtr map = NULL;
     qemuAgentCPUInfoPtr info = NULL;
+    qemuAgentPtr agent;
     int ninfo = 0;
     size_t i;
     int ret = -1;
@@ -20218,9 +20213,10 @@ qemuDomainSetGuestVcpus(virDomainPtr dom,
     if (!qemuDomainAgentAvailable(vm, true))
         goto endjob;
 
-    qemuDomainObjEnterAgent(vm);
-    ninfo = qemuAgentGetVCPUs(qemuDomainGetAgent(vm), &info);
-    qemuDomainObjExitAgent(vm);
+    agent = qemuDomainObjEnterAgent(vm);
+    ninfo = qemuAgentGetVCPUs(agent, &info);
+    qemuDomainObjExitAgent(vm, agent);
+    agent = NULL;
 
     if (ninfo < 0)
         goto endjob;
@@ -20249,9 +20245,12 @@ qemuDomainSetGuestVcpus(virDomainPtr dom,
         goto endjob;
     }
 
-    qemuDomainObjEnterAgent(vm);
-    ret = qemuAgentSetVCPUs(qemuDomainGetAgent(vm), info, ninfo);
-    qemuDomainObjExitAgent(vm);
+    if (!qemuDomainAgentAvailable(vm, true))
+        goto endjob;
+
+    agent = qemuDomainObjEnterAgent(vm);
+    ret = qemuAgentSetVCPUs(agent, info, ninfo);
+    qemuDomainObjExitAgent(vm, agent);
 
  endjob:
     qemuDomainObjEndJob(driver, vm);