diff --git a/src/conf/domain_conf.c b/src/conf/domain_conf.c
index 08c8116e1e..958a5b7cdf 100644
--- a/src/conf/domain_conf.c
+++ b/src/conf/domain_conf.c
@@ -21477,7 +21477,6 @@ virDomainControllerDefFormat(virBufferPtr buf,
         def->queues || def->cmd_per_lun || def->max_sectors || def->ioeventfd ||
         def->iothread ||
         virDomainDeviceInfoNeedsFormat(&def->info, flags) || pcihole64) {
-        virBufferAddLit(buf, ">\n");
 
         if (pciModel) {
             modelName = virDomainControllerPCIModelNameTypeToString(def->opts.pciopts.modelName);
@@ -21526,7 +21525,10 @@ virDomainControllerDefFormat(virBufferPtr buf,
             virBufferAsprintf(&childBuf, "<pcihole64 unit='KiB'>%lu</"
                               "pcihole64>\n", def->opts.pciopts.pcihole64size);
         }
+    }
 
+    if (virBufferUse(&childBuf)) {
+        virBufferAddLit(buf, ">\n");
         virBufferAddBuffer(buf, &childBuf);
         virBufferAddLit(buf, "</controller>\n");
     } else {
diff --git a/tests/qemuxml2xmloutdata/qemuxml2xmlout-s390-defaultconsole.xml b/tests/qemuxml2xmloutdata/qemuxml2xmlout-s390-defaultconsole.xml
index 882d0054fe..7eb1a765ab 100644
--- a/tests/qemuxml2xmloutdata/qemuxml2xmlout-s390-defaultconsole.xml
+++ b/tests/qemuxml2xmloutdata/qemuxml2xmlout-s390-defaultconsole.xml
@@ -14,8 +14,7 @@
   <on_crash>destroy</on_crash>
   <devices>
     <emulator>/usr/bin/qemu-system-s390x</emulator>
-    <controller type='virtio-serial' index='0'>
-    </controller>
+    <controller type='virtio-serial' index='0'/>
     <console type='pty'>
       <target type='virtio' port='0'/>
     </console>