diff --git a/src/qemu/qemu_process.c b/src/qemu/qemu_process.c
index c9f8a0f311..86cfeeb6f0 100644
--- a/src/qemu/qemu_process.c
+++ b/src/qemu/qemu_process.c
@@ -6641,8 +6641,10 @@ qemuProcessLaunch(virConnectPtr conn,
 
     VIR_DEBUG("Creating domain log file");
     if (!(logCtxt = qemuDomainLogContextNew(driver, vm,
-                                            QEMU_DOMAIN_LOG_CONTEXT_MODE_START)))
+                                            QEMU_DOMAIN_LOG_CONTEXT_MODE_START))) {
+        virLastErrorPrefixMessage("%s", _("can't connect to virtlogd"));
         goto cleanup;
+    }
     logfile = qemuDomainLogContextGetWriteFD(logCtxt);
 
     if (qemuProcessGenID(vm, flags) < 0)