diff --git a/src/qemu/qemu_migration.c b/src/qemu/qemu_migration.c
index b3b25d78b4..b8c2483326 100644
--- a/src/qemu/qemu_migration.c
+++ b/src/qemu/qemu_migration.c
@@ -6942,8 +6942,12 @@ qemuMigrationSrcToFile(virQEMUDriver *driver, virDomainObj *vm,
 }
 
 
+/**
+ * This function is supposed to be used only when no other thread is watching
+ * the migration.
+ */
 int
-qemuMigrationSrcCancel(virDomainObj *vm)
+qemuMigrationSrcCancelUnattended(virDomainObj *vm)
 {
     qemuDomainObjPrivate *priv = vm->privateData;
     bool storage = false;
diff --git a/src/qemu/qemu_migration.h b/src/qemu/qemu_migration.h
index d518889c19..bbc71d118d 100644
--- a/src/qemu/qemu_migration.h
+++ b/src/qemu/qemu_migration.h
@@ -241,7 +241,7 @@ qemuMigrationSrcToFile(virQEMUDriver *driver,
     ATTRIBUTE_NONNULL(1) ATTRIBUTE_NONNULL(2) G_GNUC_WARN_UNUSED_RESULT;
 
 int
-qemuMigrationSrcCancel(virDomainObj *vm);
+qemuMigrationSrcCancelUnattended(virDomainObj *vm);
 
 int
 qemuMigrationAnyFetchStats(virDomainObj *vm,
diff --git a/src/qemu/qemu_process.c b/src/qemu/qemu_process.c
index 32f03ff79a..4e8daf83fe 100644
--- a/src/qemu/qemu_process.c
+++ b/src/qemu/qemu_process.c
@@ -3537,7 +3537,7 @@ qemuProcessRecoverMigrationOut(virQEMUDriver *driver,
          */
         VIR_DEBUG("Cancelling unfinished migration of domain %s",
                   vm->def->name);
-        if (qemuMigrationSrcCancel(vm) < 0) {
+        if (qemuMigrationSrcCancelUnattended(vm) < 0) {
             VIR_WARN("Could not cancel ongoing migration of domain %s",
                      vm->def->name);
         }