diff --git a/src/qemu/qemu_migration.c b/src/qemu/qemu_migration.c
index bbfb09ac34..99d4c4a799 100644
--- a/src/qemu/qemu_migration.c
+++ b/src/qemu/qemu_migration.c
@@ -1513,7 +1513,7 @@ qemuMigrationIsAllowed(virQEMUDriverPtr driver, virDomainObjPtr vm,
         return false;
     }
 
-    for (i = 0; i < def->cpu->nfeatures; i++) {
+    for (i = 0; def->cpu && i < def->cpu->nfeatures; i++) {
         virCPUFeatureDefPtr feature = &def->cpu->features[i];
 
         if (feature->policy != VIR_CPU_FEATURE_REQUIRE)
diff --git a/src/qemu/qemu_process.c b/src/qemu/qemu_process.c
index a39cc0a0aa..570960e669 100644
--- a/src/qemu/qemu_process.c
+++ b/src/qemu/qemu_process.c
@@ -3636,7 +3636,7 @@ qemuProcessVerifyGuestCPU(virQEMUDriverPtr driver, virDomainObjPtr vm)
             }
         }
 
-        for (i = 0; i < def->cpu->nfeatures; i++) {
+        for (i = 0; def->cpu && i < def->cpu->nfeatures; i++) {
             virCPUFeatureDefPtr feature = &def->cpu->features[i];
 
             if (feature->policy != VIR_CPU_FEATURE_REQUIRE)