diff --git a/vmstate.h b/vmstate.h
index 5bd2b762ab..c9c320e62e 100644
--- a/vmstate.h
+++ b/vmstate.h
@@ -503,8 +503,11 @@ extern const VMStateInfo vmstate_info_unused_buffer;
 #define VMSTATE_TIMER_TEST(_f, _s, _test)                             \
     VMSTATE_POINTER_TEST(_f, _s, _test, vmstate_info_timer, QEMUTimer *)
 
+#define VMSTATE_TIMER_V(_f, _s, _v)                                   \
+    VMSTATE_POINTER(_f, _s, _v, vmstate_info_timer, QEMUTimer *)
+
 #define VMSTATE_TIMER(_f, _s)                                         \
-    VMSTATE_TIMER_TEST(_f, _s, NULL)
+    VMSTATE_TIMER_V(_f, _s, 0)
 
 #define VMSTATE_TIMER_ARRAY(_f, _s, _n)                              \
     VMSTATE_ARRAY_OF_POINTER(_f, _s, _n, 0, vmstate_info_timer, QEMUTimer *)