diff --git a/src/libvirt_private.syms b/src/libvirt_private.syms
index f30a04b145..247d1175ba 100644
--- a/src/libvirt_private.syms
+++ b/src/libvirt_private.syms
@@ -539,6 +539,7 @@ virDomainVirtTypeFromString;
 virDomainVirtTypeToString;
 virDomainWatchdogActionTypeFromString;
 virDomainWatchdogActionTypeToString;
+virDomainWatchdogDefFree;
 virDomainWatchdogModelTypeFromString;
 virDomainWatchdogModelTypeToString;
 virDomainXMLOptionGetNamespace;
diff --git a/src/qemu/qemu_driver.c b/src/qemu/qemu_driver.c
index 7c62ec01b9..562f6743f0 100644
--- a/src/qemu/qemu_driver.c
+++ b/src/qemu/qemu_driver.c
@@ -8169,10 +8169,19 @@ qemuDomainDetachDeviceConfig(virDomainDefPtr vmdef,
         break;
 
 
+    case VIR_DOMAIN_DEVICE_WATCHDOG:
+        if (!vmdef->watchdog) {
+            virReportError(VIR_ERR_OPERATION_FAILED, "%s",
+                           _("domain has no watchdog"));
+            return -1;
+        }
+        virDomainWatchdogDefFree(vmdef->watchdog);
+        vmdef->watchdog = NULL;
+        break;
+
     case VIR_DOMAIN_DEVICE_INPUT:
     case VIR_DOMAIN_DEVICE_SOUND:
     case VIR_DOMAIN_DEVICE_VIDEO:
-    case VIR_DOMAIN_DEVICE_WATCHDOG:
     case VIR_DOMAIN_DEVICE_GRAPHICS:
     case VIR_DOMAIN_DEVICE_HUB:
     case VIR_DOMAIN_DEVICE_SMARTCARD: