diff --git a/src/qemu/qemu_driver.c b/src/qemu/qemu_driver.c
index d17c18705b..56fcba8b2c 100644
--- a/src/qemu/qemu_driver.c
+++ b/src/qemu/qemu_driver.c
@@ -6831,7 +6831,7 @@ qemuDomainSaveImageStartVM(virConnectPtr conn,
         qemuDomainFixupCPUs(vm, &cookie->cpu) < 0)
         goto cleanup;
 
-    if (!cookie->slirpHelper)
+    if (cookie && !cookie->slirpHelper)
         priv->disableSlirp = true;
 
     if (qemuProcessStart(conn, driver, vm, cookie ? cookie->cpu : NULL,