diff --git a/src/libvirt.c b/src/libvirt.c
index 5ff8d8917d..996ab948f6 100644
--- a/src/libvirt.c
+++ b/src/libvirt.c
@@ -7373,10 +7373,13 @@ error:
  * not support it.  This function requires privileged access to the
  * hypervisor.
  *
- * @flags must include either VIR_DOMAIN_AFFECT_LIVE to query a
- * running domain (which will fail if domain is not active), or
- * VIR_DOMAIN_AFFECT_CONFIG to query the XML description of the
- * domain.  It is an error to set both flags.
+ * If @flags includes VIR_DOMAIN_AFFECT_LIVE, this will query a
+ * running domain (which will fail if domain is not active); if
+ * it includes VIR_DOMAIN_AFFECT_CONFIG, this will query the XML
+ * description of the domain.  It is an error to set both flags.
+ * If neither flag is set (that is, VIR_DOMAIN_AFFECT_CURRENT),
+ * then the configuration queried depends on whether the domain
+ * is currently running.
  *
  * If @flags includes VIR_DOMAIN_VCPU_MAXIMUM, then the maximum
  * virtual CPU limit is queried.  Otherwise, this call queries the
@@ -7400,8 +7403,8 @@ virDomainGetVcpusFlags(virDomainPtr domain, unsigned int flags)
         return -1;
     }
 
-    /* Exactly one of these two flags should be set.  */
-    if (!(flags & VIR_DOMAIN_AFFECT_LIVE) == !(flags & VIR_DOMAIN_AFFECT_CONFIG)) {
+    /* At most one of these two flags should be set.  */
+    if ((flags & VIR_DOMAIN_AFFECT_LIVE) && (flags & VIR_DOMAIN_AFFECT_CONFIG)) {
         virLibDomainError(VIR_ERR_INVALID_ARG, __FUNCTION__);
         goto error;
     }
diff --git a/src/libxl/libxl_driver.c b/src/libxl/libxl_driver.c
index 5583684f76..7cb362065b 100644
--- a/src/libxl/libxl_driver.c
+++ b/src/libxl/libxl_driver.c
@@ -2364,18 +2364,12 @@ libxlDomainGetVcpusFlags(virDomainPtr dom, unsigned int flags)
     virDomainObjPtr vm;
     virDomainDefPtr def;
     int ret = -1;
+    bool active;
 
     virCheckFlags(VIR_DOMAIN_VCPU_LIVE |
                   VIR_DOMAIN_VCPU_CONFIG |
                   VIR_DOMAIN_VCPU_MAXIMUM, -1);
 
-    /* Exactly one of LIVE or CONFIG must be set.  */
-    if (!(flags & VIR_DOMAIN_VCPU_LIVE) == !(flags & VIR_DOMAIN_VCPU_CONFIG)) {
-        libxlError(VIR_ERR_INVALID_ARG,
-                   _("invalid flag combination: (0x%x)"), flags);
-        return -1;
-    }
-
     libxlDriverLock(driver);
     vm = virDomainFindByUUID(&driver->domains, dom->uuid);
     libxlDriverUnlock(driver);
@@ -2385,14 +2379,33 @@ libxlDomainGetVcpusFlags(virDomainPtr dom, unsigned int flags)
         goto cleanup;
     }
 
+    active = virDomainObjIsActive(vm);
+
+    if ((flags & (VIR_DOMAIN_VCPU_LIVE | VIR_DOMAIN_VCPU_CONFIG)) == 0) {
+        if (active)
+            flags |= VIR_DOMAIN_VCPU_LIVE;
+        else
+            flags |= VIR_DOMAIN_VCPU_CONFIG;
+    }
+    if ((flags & VIR_DOMAIN_VCPU_LIVE) && (flags & VIR_DOMAIN_VCPU_CONFIG)) {
+        libxlError(VIR_ERR_INVALID_ARG,
+                   _("invalid flag combination: (0x%x)"), flags);
+        return -1;
+    }
+
     if (flags & VIR_DOMAIN_VCPU_LIVE) {
-        if (!virDomainObjIsActive(vm)) {
+        if (!active) {
             libxlError(VIR_ERR_OPERATION_INVALID,
                        "%s", _("Domain is not running"));
             goto cleanup;
         }
         def = vm->def;
     } else {
+        if (!vm->persistent) {
+            libxlError(VIR_ERR_OPERATION_INVALID,
+                       "%s", _("domain is transient"));
+            goto cleanup;
+        }
         def = vm->newDef ? vm->newDef : vm->def;
     }
 
diff --git a/src/qemu/qemu_driver.c b/src/qemu/qemu_driver.c
index 130f474382..b92800415a 100644
--- a/src/qemu/qemu_driver.c
+++ b/src/qemu/qemu_driver.c
@@ -3543,18 +3543,12 @@ qemudDomainGetVcpusFlags(virDomainPtr dom, unsigned int flags)
     virDomainObjPtr vm;
     virDomainDefPtr def;
     int ret = -1;
+    bool active;
 
     virCheckFlags(VIR_DOMAIN_AFFECT_LIVE |
                   VIR_DOMAIN_AFFECT_CONFIG |
                   VIR_DOMAIN_VCPU_MAXIMUM, -1);
 
-    /* Exactly one of LIVE or CONFIG must be set.  */
-    if (!(flags & VIR_DOMAIN_AFFECT_LIVE) == !(flags & VIR_DOMAIN_AFFECT_CONFIG)) {
-        qemuReportError(VIR_ERR_INVALID_ARG,
-                        _("invalid flag combination: (0x%x)"), flags);
-        return -1;
-    }
-
     qemuDriverLock(driver);
     vm = virDomainFindByUUID(&driver->domains, dom->uuid);
     qemuDriverUnlock(driver);
@@ -3567,14 +3561,33 @@ qemudDomainGetVcpusFlags(virDomainPtr dom, unsigned int flags)
         goto cleanup;
     }
 
+    active = virDomainObjIsActive(vm);
+
+    if ((flags & (VIR_DOMAIN_VCPU_LIVE | VIR_DOMAIN_VCPU_CONFIG)) == 0) {
+        if (active)
+            flags |= VIR_DOMAIN_VCPU_LIVE;
+        else
+            flags |= VIR_DOMAIN_VCPU_CONFIG;
+    }
+    if ((flags & VIR_DOMAIN_AFFECT_LIVE) && (flags & VIR_DOMAIN_AFFECT_CONFIG)) {
+        qemuReportError(VIR_ERR_INVALID_ARG,
+                        _("invalid flag combination: (0x%x)"), flags);
+        return -1;
+    }
+
     if (flags & VIR_DOMAIN_AFFECT_LIVE) {
-        if (!virDomainObjIsActive(vm)) {
+        if (!active) {
             qemuReportError(VIR_ERR_OPERATION_INVALID, "%s",
                             _("domain not active"));
             goto cleanup;
         }
         def = vm->def;
     } else {
+        if (!vm->persistent) {
+            qemuReportError(VIR_ERR_OPERATION_INVALID, "%s",
+                            _("domain is transient"));
+            goto cleanup;
+        }
         def = vm->newDef ? vm->newDef : vm->def;
     }
 
diff --git a/src/test/test_driver.c b/src/test/test_driver.c
index 81a4ae8f12..fb14b106e9 100644
--- a/src/test/test_driver.c
+++ b/src/test/test_driver.c
@@ -2099,18 +2099,12 @@ testDomainGetVcpusFlags(virDomainPtr domain, unsigned int flags)
     virDomainObjPtr vm;
     virDomainDefPtr def;
     int ret = -1;
+    bool active;
 
     virCheckFlags(VIR_DOMAIN_AFFECT_LIVE |
                   VIR_DOMAIN_AFFECT_CONFIG |
                   VIR_DOMAIN_VCPU_MAXIMUM, -1);
 
-    /* Exactly one of LIVE or CONFIG must be set.  */
-    if (!(flags & VIR_DOMAIN_AFFECT_LIVE) == !(flags & VIR_DOMAIN_AFFECT_CONFIG)) {
-        testError(VIR_ERR_INVALID_ARG,
-                  _("invalid flag combination: (0x%x)"), flags);
-        return -1;
-    }
-
     testDriverLock(privconn);
     vm = virDomainFindByUUID(&privconn->domains, domain->uuid);
     testDriverUnlock(privconn);
@@ -2123,14 +2117,35 @@ testDomainGetVcpusFlags(virDomainPtr domain, unsigned int flags)
         goto cleanup;
     }
 
+    active = virDomainObjIsActive(vm);
+
+    if ((flags & (VIR_DOMAIN_VCPU_LIVE | VIR_DOMAIN_VCPU_CONFIG)) == 0) {
+        if (active)
+            flags |= VIR_DOMAIN_VCPU_LIVE;
+        else
+            flags |= VIR_DOMAIN_VCPU_CONFIG;
+    }
+    if ((flags & VIR_DOMAIN_AFFECT_LIVE) && (flags & VIR_DOMAIN_AFFECT_CONFIG)) {
+        testError(VIR_ERR_INVALID_ARG,
+                  _("invalid flag combination: (0x%x)"), flags);
+        return -1;
+    }
+
+
+
     if (flags & VIR_DOMAIN_AFFECT_LIVE) {
-        if (!virDomainObjIsActive(vm)) {
+        if (!active) {
             testError(VIR_ERR_OPERATION_INVALID, "%s",
                       _("domain not active"));
             goto cleanup;
         }
         def = vm->def;
     } else {
+        if (!vm->persistent) {
+            testError(VIR_ERR_OPERATION_INVALID, "%s",
+                      _("domain is transient"));
+            goto cleanup;
+        }
         def = vm->newDef ? vm->newDef : vm->def;
     }
 
diff --git a/src/xen/xen_driver.c b/src/xen/xen_driver.c
index 8ebf86e492..155ffda858 100644
--- a/src/xen/xen_driver.c
+++ b/src/xen/xen_driver.c
@@ -1239,13 +1239,6 @@ xenUnifiedDomainGetVcpusFlags (virDomainPtr dom, unsigned int flags)
                   VIR_DOMAIN_VCPU_CONFIG |
                   VIR_DOMAIN_VCPU_MAXIMUM, -1);
 
-    /* Exactly one of LIVE or CONFIG must be set.  */
-    if (!(flags & VIR_DOMAIN_VCPU_LIVE) == !(flags & VIR_DOMAIN_VCPU_CONFIG)) {
-        xenUnifiedError(VIR_ERR_INVALID_ARG,
-                        _("invalid flag combination: (0x%x)"), flags);
-        return -1;
-    }
-
     if (priv->opened[XEN_UNIFIED_XEND_OFFSET]) {
         ret = xenDaemonDomainGetVcpusFlags(dom, flags);
         if (ret != -2)