diff --git a/src/conf/domain_conf.c b/src/conf/domain_conf.c
index c290baf953..7d83a3d1c6 100644
--- a/src/conf/domain_conf.c
+++ b/src/conf/domain_conf.c
@@ -17169,6 +17169,47 @@ virDomainNetRemove(virDomainDefPtr def, size_t i)
     return net;
 }
 
+
+int
+virDomainNetUpdate(virDomainDefPtr def,
+                   size_t netidx,
+                   virDomainNetDefPtr newnet)
+{
+    size_t hostdevidx;
+    virDomainNetDefPtr oldnet = def->nets[netidx];
+    virDomainHostdevDefPtr oldhostdev = virDomainNetGetActualHostdev(oldnet);
+    virDomainHostdevDefPtr newhostdev = virDomainNetGetActualHostdev(newnet);
+
+    /*
+     * if newnet or oldnet has a valid hostdev*, we need to update the
+     * hostdevs list
+     */
+    if (oldhostdev) {
+        for (hostdevidx = 0; hostdevidx < def->nhostdevs; hostdevidx++) {
+            if (def->hostdevs[hostdevidx] == oldhostdev)
+                break;
+        }
+    }
+
+    if (oldhostdev && hostdevidx < def->nhostdevs) {
+        if (newhostdev) {
+            /* update existing entry in def->hostdevs */
+            def->hostdevs[hostdevidx] = newhostdev;
+        } else {
+            /* delete oldhostdev from def->hostdevs */
+            virDomainHostdevRemove(def, hostdevidx);
+        }
+    } else if (newhostdev) {
+        /* add newhostdev to end of def->hostdevs */
+        if (VIR_APPEND_ELEMENT(def->hostdevs, def->nhostdevs, newhostdev) < 0)
+            return -1;
+    }
+
+    def->nets[netidx] = newnet;
+    return 0;
+}
+
+
 int virDomainControllerInsert(virDomainDefPtr def,
                               virDomainControllerDefPtr controller)
 {
diff --git a/src/conf/domain_conf.h b/src/conf/domain_conf.h
index 53bdee22fb..2884af49d8 100644
--- a/src/conf/domain_conf.h
+++ b/src/conf/domain_conf.h
@@ -3174,6 +3174,7 @@ virDomainNetDefPtr virDomainNetFind(virDomainDefPtr def, const char *device);
 virDomainNetDefPtr virDomainNetFindByName(virDomainDefPtr def, const char *ifname);
 bool virDomainHasNet(virDomainDefPtr def, virDomainNetDefPtr net);
 int virDomainNetInsert(virDomainDefPtr def, virDomainNetDefPtr net);
+int virDomainNetUpdate(virDomainDefPtr def, size_t netidx, virDomainNetDefPtr newnet);
 virDomainNetDefPtr virDomainNetRemove(virDomainDefPtr def, size_t i);
 void virDomainNetRemoveHostdev(virDomainDefPtr def, virDomainNetDefPtr net);
 
diff --git a/src/libvirt_private.syms b/src/libvirt_private.syms
index 287e63bffa..2b10a1030e 100644
--- a/src/libvirt_private.syms
+++ b/src/libvirt_private.syms
@@ -508,6 +508,7 @@ virDomainNetSetModelString;
 virDomainNetTypeFromString;
 virDomainNetTypeSharesHostView;
 virDomainNetTypeToString;
+virDomainNetUpdate;
 virDomainNostateReasonTypeFromString;
 virDomainNostateReasonTypeToString;
 virDomainObjAssignDef;
diff --git a/src/lxc/lxc_driver.c b/src/lxc/lxc_driver.c
index 5453f49064..cf1dd1428e 100644
--- a/src/lxc/lxc_driver.c
+++ b/src/lxc/lxc_driver.c
@@ -3486,8 +3486,10 @@ lxcDomainUpdateDeviceConfig(virDomainDefPtr vmdef,
                                          false) < 0)
             return -1;
 
-        virDomainNetDefFree(vmdef->nets[idx]);
-        vmdef->nets[idx] = net;
+        if (virDomainNetUpdate(vmdef, idx, net) < 0)
+            return -1;
+
+        virDomainNetDefFree(oldDev.data.net);
         dev->data.net = NULL;
         ret = 0;
 
diff --git a/src/qemu/qemu_driver.c b/src/qemu/qemu_driver.c
index 0c65414a1a..286f5bd984 100644
--- a/src/qemu/qemu_driver.c
+++ b/src/qemu/qemu_driver.c
@@ -8786,8 +8786,10 @@ qemuDomainUpdateDeviceConfig(virDomainDefPtr vmdef,
                                          false) < 0)
             return -1;
 
-        virDomainNetDefFree(vmdef->nets[pos]);
-        vmdef->nets[pos] = net;
+        if (virDomainNetUpdate(vmdef, pos, net))
+            return -1;
+
+        virDomainNetDefFree(oldDev.data.net);
         dev->data.net = NULL;
         break;