diff --git a/src/qemu/qemu_process.c b/src/qemu/qemu_process.c
index a4bc082d79..ea609417d1 100644
--- a/src/qemu/qemu_process.c
+++ b/src/qemu/qemu_process.c
@@ -4517,11 +4517,14 @@ qemuProcessStartValidate(virQEMUDriverPtr driver,
     if (qemuProcessStartValidateXML(driver, vm, qemuCaps, caps, flags) < 0)
         return -1;
 
+    if (qemuProcessStartValidateGraphics(vm) < 0)
+        return -1;
+
     VIR_DEBUG("Checking for any possible (non-fatal) issues");
 
     qemuProcessStartWarnShmem(vm);
 
-    return qemuProcessStartValidateGraphics(vm);
+    return 0;
 }