diff --git a/src/libvirt_remote.syms b/src/libvirt_remote.syms
index 88745f2612..98586d1584 100644
--- a/src/libvirt_remote.syms
+++ b/src/libvirt_remote.syms
@@ -54,6 +54,8 @@ virNetClientProgramNew;
 
 
 # rpc/virnetclientstream.h
+virNetClientStreamCheckSendStatus;
+virNetClientStreamCheckState;
 virNetClientStreamEOF;
 virNetClientStreamEventAddCallback;
 virNetClientStreamEventRemoveCallback;
@@ -61,7 +63,6 @@ virNetClientStreamEventUpdateCallback;
 virNetClientStreamMatches;
 virNetClientStreamNew;
 virNetClientStreamQueuePacket;
-virNetClientStreamRaiseError;
 virNetClientStreamRecvHole;
 virNetClientStreamRecvPacket;
 virNetClientStreamSendHole;
diff --git a/src/remote/remote_driver.c b/src/remote/remote_driver.c
index 058e4c926b..1ff55e241a 100644
--- a/src/remote/remote_driver.c
+++ b/src/remote/remote_driver.c
@@ -5600,9 +5600,6 @@ remoteStreamSend(virStreamPtr st,
     virNetClientStreamPtr privst = st->privateData;
     int rv;
 
-    if (virNetClientStreamRaiseError(privst))
-        return -1;
-
     remoteDriverLock(priv);
     priv->localUses++;
     remoteDriverUnlock(priv);
@@ -5634,9 +5631,6 @@ remoteStreamRecvFlags(virStreamPtr st,
 
     virCheckFlags(VIR_STREAM_RECV_STOP_AT_HOLE, -1);
 
-    if (virNetClientStreamRaiseError(privst))
-        return -1;
-
     remoteDriverLock(priv);
     priv->localUses++;
     remoteDriverUnlock(priv);
@@ -5676,9 +5670,6 @@ remoteStreamSendHole(virStreamPtr st,
     virNetClientStreamPtr privst = st->privateData;
     int rv;
 
-    if (virNetClientStreamRaiseError(privst))
-        return -1;
-
     remoteDriverLock(priv);
     priv->localUses++;
     remoteDriverUnlock(priv);
@@ -5709,9 +5700,6 @@ remoteStreamRecvHole(virStreamPtr st,
 
     virCheckFlags(0, -1);
 
-    if (virNetClientStreamRaiseError(privst))
-        return -1;
-
     remoteDriverLock(priv);
     priv->localUses++;
     remoteDriverUnlock(priv);
@@ -5834,9 +5822,6 @@ remoteStreamCloseInt(virStreamPtr st, bool streamAbort)
 
     remoteDriverLock(priv);
 
-    if (virNetClientStreamRaiseError(privst))
-        goto cleanup;
-
     priv->localUses++;
     remoteDriverUnlock(priv);
 
@@ -5849,7 +5834,6 @@ remoteStreamCloseInt(virStreamPtr st, bool streamAbort)
     remoteDriverLock(priv);
     priv->localUses--;
 
- cleanup:
     virNetClientRemoveStream(priv->client, privst);
     virObjectUnref(privst);
     st->privateData = NULL;
diff --git a/src/rpc/virnetclient.c b/src/rpc/virnetclient.c
index fcc2e806e1..70192a9e88 100644
--- a/src/rpc/virnetclient.c
+++ b/src/rpc/virnetclient.c
@@ -2193,7 +2193,7 @@ int virNetClientSendStream(virNetClientPtr client,
 
     virObjectLock(client);
 
-    if (virNetClientStreamRaiseError(st))
+    if (virNetClientStreamCheckState(st) < 0)
         goto cleanup;
 
     /* Check for EOF only if we are going to wait for incoming data */
@@ -2205,7 +2205,7 @@ int virNetClientSendStream(virNetClientPtr client,
     if (virNetClientSendInternal(client, msg, expectReply, false) < 0)
         goto cleanup;
 
-    if (virNetClientStreamRaiseError(st))
+    if (virNetClientStreamCheckSendStatus(st, msg) < 0)
         goto cleanup;
 
     ret = 0;
diff --git a/src/rpc/virnetclientstream.c b/src/rpc/virnetclientstream.c
index 136ed16610..4738da2c3d 100644
--- a/src/rpc/virnetclientstream.c
+++ b/src/rpc/virnetclientstream.c
@@ -184,14 +184,9 @@ bool virNetClientStreamMatches(virNetClientStreamPtr st,
 }
 
 
-bool virNetClientStreamRaiseError(virNetClientStreamPtr st)
+static
+void virNetClientStreamRaiseError(virNetClientStreamPtr st)
 {
-    virObjectLock(st);
-    if (st->err.code == VIR_ERR_OK) {
-        virObjectUnlock(st);
-        return false;
-    }
-
     virRaiseErrorFull(__FILE__, __FUNCTION__, __LINE__,
                       st->err.domain,
                       st->err.code,
@@ -202,8 +197,31 @@ bool virNetClientStreamRaiseError(virNetClientStreamPtr st)
                       st->err.int1,
                       st->err.int2,
                       "%s", st->err.message ? st->err.message : _("Unknown error"));
-    virObjectUnlock(st);
-    return true;
+}
+
+
+/* MUST be called under stream or client lock */
+int virNetClientStreamCheckState(virNetClientStreamPtr st)
+{
+    if (st->err.code != VIR_ERR_OK) {
+        virNetClientStreamRaiseError(st);
+        return -1;
+    }
+
+    return 0;
+}
+
+
+/* MUST be called under stream or client lock */
+int virNetClientStreamCheckSendStatus(virNetClientStreamPtr st,
+                                      virNetMessagePtr msg ATTRIBUTE_UNUSED)
+{
+    if (st->err.code != VIR_ERR_OK) {
+        virNetClientStreamRaiseError(st);
+        return -1;
+    }
+
+    return 0;
 }
 
 
@@ -474,6 +492,9 @@ int virNetClientStreamRecvPacket(virNetClientStreamPtr st,
     virObjectLock(st);
 
  reread:
+    if (virNetClientStreamCheckState(st) < 0)
+        goto cleanup;
+
     if (!st->rx && !st->incomingEOF) {
         virNetMessagePtr msg;
         int ret;
@@ -646,6 +667,11 @@ virNetClientStreamRecvHole(virNetClientPtr client ATTRIBUTE_UNUSED,
 
     virObjectLock(st);
 
+    if (virNetClientStreamCheckState(st) < 0) {
+        virObjectUnlock(st);
+        return -1;
+    }
+
     *length = st->holeLength;
     st->holeLength = 0;
 
diff --git a/src/rpc/virnetclientstream.h b/src/rpc/virnetclientstream.h
index d13793222b..d81ec60a48 100644
--- a/src/rpc/virnetclientstream.h
+++ b/src/rpc/virnetclientstream.h
@@ -36,7 +36,10 @@ virNetClientStreamPtr virNetClientStreamNew(virStreamPtr stream,
                                             unsigned serial,
                                             bool allowSkip);
 
-bool virNetClientStreamRaiseError(virNetClientStreamPtr st);
+int virNetClientStreamCheckState(virNetClientStreamPtr st);
+
+int virNetClientStreamCheckSendStatus(virNetClientStreamPtr st,
+                                      virNetMessagePtr msg);
 
 int virNetClientStreamSetError(virNetClientStreamPtr st,
                                virNetMessagePtr msg);