diff --git a/src/conf/domain_conf.c b/src/conf/domain_conf.c
index f536630d72..a2dd7d649f 100644
--- a/src/conf/domain_conf.c
+++ b/src/conf/domain_conf.c
@@ -18030,6 +18030,7 @@ virDomainVcpuParse(virDomainDef *def,
     unsigned int vcpus;
     g_autofree char *tmp = NULL;
     g_autofree xmlNodePtr *nodes = NULL;
+    int rc;
 
     vcpus = maxvcpus = 1;
 
@@ -18044,10 +18045,11 @@ virDomainVcpuParse(virDomainDef *def,
         }
         VIR_FREE(tmp);
 
-        vcpus = maxvcpus;
-
-        if (virXMLPropUInt(vcpuNode, "current", 10, VIR_XML_PROP_NONE, &vcpus) < 0)
+        if ((rc = virXMLPropUInt(vcpuNode, "current", 10, VIR_XML_PROP_NONE, &vcpus)) < 0) {
             return -1;
+        } else if (rc == 0) {
+            vcpus = maxvcpus;
+        }
 
         def->placement_mode = VIR_DOMAIN_CPU_PLACEMENT_MODE_STATIC;
         if (virXMLPropEnum(vcpuNode, "placement",