diff --git a/src/conf/domain_conf.c b/src/conf/domain_conf.c
index 01553b5294..80baa090a7 100644
--- a/src/conf/domain_conf.c
+++ b/src/conf/domain_conf.c
@@ -1719,6 +1719,16 @@ virDomainDiskSetSource(virDomainDiskDefPtr def, const char *src)
 }
 
 
+void
+virDomainDiskEmptySource(virDomainDiskDefPtr def)
+{
+    virStorageSourcePtr src = def->src;
+
+    virStorageSourceClear(src);
+    src->type = VIR_STORAGE_TYPE_FILE;
+}
+
+
 const char *
 virDomainDiskGetDriver(virDomainDiskDefPtr def)
 {
diff --git a/src/conf/domain_conf.h b/src/conf/domain_conf.h
index 47eaacef3d..26c0e6b887 100644
--- a/src/conf/domain_conf.h
+++ b/src/conf/domain_conf.h
@@ -2590,6 +2590,7 @@ void virDomainDiskSetType(virDomainDiskDefPtr def, int type);
 const char *virDomainDiskGetSource(virDomainDiskDef const *def);
 int virDomainDiskSetSource(virDomainDiskDefPtr def, const char *src)
     ATTRIBUTE_RETURN_CHECK;
+void virDomainDiskEmptySource(virDomainDiskDefPtr def);
 const char *virDomainDiskGetDriver(virDomainDiskDefPtr def);
 int virDomainDiskSetDriver(virDomainDiskDefPtr def, const char *name)
     ATTRIBUTE_RETURN_CHECK;
diff --git a/src/libvirt_private.syms b/src/libvirt_private.syms
index b551cb86a6..92083e5414 100644
--- a/src/libvirt_private.syms
+++ b/src/libvirt_private.syms
@@ -299,6 +299,7 @@ virDomainDiskDetectZeroesTypeFromString;
 virDomainDiskDetectZeroesTypeToString;
 virDomainDiskDeviceTypeToString;
 virDomainDiskDiscardTypeToString;
+virDomainDiskEmptySource;
 virDomainDiskErrorPolicyTypeFromString;
 virDomainDiskErrorPolicyTypeToString;
 virDomainDiskFindByBusAndDst;
diff --git a/src/qemu/qemu_domain.c b/src/qemu/qemu_domain.c
index 589eb18899..b733505d0b 100644
--- a/src/qemu/qemu_domain.c
+++ b/src/qemu/qemu_domain.c
@@ -4908,7 +4908,7 @@ qemuDomainCheckRemoveOptionalDisk(virQEMUDriverPtr driver,
         event = virDomainEventDiskChangeNewFromObj(vm, src, NULL,
                                                    disk->info.alias,
                                                    VIR_DOMAIN_EVENT_DISK_CHANGE_MISSING_ON_START);
-        ignore_value(virDomainDiskSetSource(disk, NULL));
+        virDomainDiskEmptySource(disk);
         /* keeping the old startup policy would be invalid for new images */
         disk->startupPolicy = VIR_DOMAIN_STARTUP_POLICY_DEFAULT;
     } else {
diff --git a/src/qemu/qemu_process.c b/src/qemu/qemu_process.c
index a20beb13c1..e450d0647e 100644
--- a/src/qemu/qemu_process.c
+++ b/src/qemu/qemu_process.c
@@ -6804,7 +6804,7 @@ qemuProcessRefreshDisks(virQEMUDriverPtr driver,
 
         if (info->removable) {
             if (info->empty)
-                ignore_value(virDomainDiskSetSource(disk, NULL));
+                virDomainDiskEmptySource(disk);
 
             if (info->tray) {
                 if (info->tray_open)