diff --git a/src/qemu/qemu_domain.h b/src/qemu/qemu_domain.h
index e8bcab3c1b..35f9440f19 100644
--- a/src/qemu/qemu_domain.h
+++ b/src/qemu/qemu_domain.h
@@ -110,6 +110,7 @@ struct _qemuDomainObjPrivate {
     bool monError;
     unsigned long long monStart;
     bool gotShutdown;
+    bool beingDestroyed;
     char *pidfile;
 
     int nvcpupids;
diff --git a/src/qemu/qemu_driver.c b/src/qemu/qemu_driver.c
index 10a289e08f..ceb9f47cbd 100644
--- a/src/qemu/qemu_driver.c
+++ b/src/qemu/qemu_driver.c
@@ -1678,6 +1678,7 @@ qemuDomainDestroyFlags(virDomainPtr dom,
     virDomainObjPtr vm;
     int ret = -1;
     virDomainEventPtr event = NULL;
+    qemuDomainObjPrivatePtr priv;
 
     virCheckFlags(0, -1);
 
@@ -1691,6 +1692,8 @@ qemuDomainDestroyFlags(virDomainPtr dom,
         goto cleanup;
     }
 
+    priv = vm->privateData;
+
     qemuDomainSetFakeReboot(driver, vm, false);
 
     /* Although qemuProcessStop does this already, there may
@@ -1700,9 +1703,16 @@ qemuDomainDestroyFlags(virDomainPtr dom,
      */
     qemuProcessKill(vm, false);
 
+    /* We need to prevent monitor EOF callback from doing our work (and sending
+     * misleading events) while the vm is unlocked inside BeginJob API
+     */
+    priv->beingDestroyed = true;
+
     if (qemuDomainObjBeginJobWithDriver(driver, vm, QEMU_JOB_DESTROY) < 0)
         goto cleanup;
 
+    priv->beingDestroyed = false;
+
     if (!virDomainObjIsActive(vm)) {
         qemuReportError(VIR_ERR_OPERATION_INVALID,
                         "%s", _("domain is not running"));
diff --git a/src/qemu/qemu_process.c b/src/qemu/qemu_process.c
index d4271d0ccc..9123f4c85e 100644
--- a/src/qemu/qemu_process.c
+++ b/src/qemu/qemu_process.c
@@ -128,14 +128,18 @@ qemuProcessHandleMonitorEOF(qemuMonitorPtr mon ATTRIBUTE_UNUSED,
     qemuDriverLock(driver);
     virDomainObjLock(vm);
 
-    if (!virDomainObjIsActive(vm)) {
-        VIR_DEBUG("Domain %p is not active, ignoring EOF", vm);
-        virDomainObjUnlock(vm);
-        qemuDriverUnlock(driver);
-        return;
+    priv = vm->privateData;
+
+    if (priv->beingDestroyed) {
+        VIR_DEBUG("Domain is being destroyed, EOF is expected");
+        goto unlock;
+    }
+
+    if (!virDomainObjIsActive(vm)) {
+        VIR_DEBUG("Domain %p is not active, ignoring EOF", vm);
+        goto unlock;
     }
 
-    priv = vm->privateData;
     if (priv->monJSON && !priv->gotShutdown) {
         VIR_DEBUG("Monitor connection to '%s' closed without SHUTDOWN event; "
                   "assuming the domain crashed", vm->def->name);
@@ -150,11 +154,15 @@ qemuProcessHandleMonitorEOF(qemuMonitorPtr mon ATTRIBUTE_UNUSED,
     qemuProcessStop(driver, vm, 0, stopReason);
     virDomainAuditStop(vm, auditReason);
 
-    if (!vm->persistent)
+    if (!vm->persistent) {
         qemuDomainRemoveInactive(driver, vm);
-    else
-        virDomainObjUnlock(vm);
+        goto cleanup;
+    }
 
+unlock:
+    virDomainObjUnlock(vm);
+
+cleanup:
     if (event)
         qemuDomainEventQueue(driver, event);
     qemuDriverUnlock(driver);