diff --git a/src/qemu/qemu_domain.c b/src/qemu/qemu_domain.c
index 7123f45cd7..d3b6d61112 100644
--- a/src/qemu/qemu_domain.c
+++ b/src/qemu/qemu_domain.c
@@ -7225,7 +7225,7 @@ qemuDomainDeviceDefValidate(const virDomainDeviceDef *dev,
     if ((ret = qemuDomainDeviceDefValidateAddress(dev, qemuCaps)) < 0)
         goto cleanup;
 
-    if (virDomainCapsDeviceDefValidate(domCaps, dev, def) < 0)
+    if ((ret = virDomainCapsDeviceDefValidate(domCaps, dev, def)) < 0)
         goto cleanup;
 
     switch ((virDomainDeviceType)dev->type) {