diff --git a/tools/virsh-util.c b/tools/virsh-util.c
index e225d3332b..79a38bb234 100644
--- a/tools/virsh-util.c
+++ b/tools/virsh-util.c
@@ -158,6 +158,7 @@ virshDomainFree(virDomainPtr dom)
     if (!dom)
         return;
 
+    vshSaveLibvirtHelperError();
     virDomainFree(dom); /* sc_prohibit_obj_free_apis_in_virsh */
 }
 
@@ -168,5 +169,6 @@ virshDomainSnapshotFree(virDomainSnapshotPtr snap)
     if (!snap)
         return;
 
+    vshSaveLibvirtHelperError();
     virDomainSnapshotFree(snap); /* sc_prohibit_obj_free_apis_in_virsh */
 }
diff --git a/tools/vsh.c b/tools/vsh.c
index d2024be918..10a65c39f9 100644
--- a/tools/vsh.c
+++ b/tools/vsh.c
@@ -258,6 +258,21 @@ vshSaveLibvirtError(void)
     last_error = virSaveLastError();
 }
 
+
+/* Store libvirt error from helper API but don't overwrite existing errors */
+void
+vshSaveLibvirtHelperError(void)
+{
+    if (last_error)
+        return;
+
+    if (!virGetLastError())
+        return;
+
+    vshSaveLibvirtError();
+}
+
+
 /*
  * Reset libvirt error on graceful fallback paths
  */
diff --git a/tools/vsh.h b/tools/vsh.h
index 8f5d1a69f7..2f686eba6a 100644
--- a/tools/vsh.h
+++ b/tools/vsh.h
@@ -341,6 +341,7 @@ void vshErrorHandler(void *opaque, virErrorPtr error);
 void vshReportError(vshControl *ctl);
 void vshResetLibvirtError(void);
 void vshSaveLibvirtError(void);
+void vshSaveLibvirtHelperError(void);
 
 /* file handling */
 char *vshEditWriteToTempFile(vshControl *ctl, const char *doc);