diff --git a/src/qemu/qemu_domain.c b/src/qemu/qemu_domain.c
index cbee151f5d..b98ffffae2 100644
--- a/src/qemu/qemu_domain.c
+++ b/src/qemu/qemu_domain.c
@@ -9781,7 +9781,7 @@ qemuDomainGetMachineName(virDomainObjPtr vm)
     virQEMUDriverPtr driver = priv->driver;
     char *ret = NULL;
 
-    if (vm->pid) {
+    if (vm->pid > 0) {
         ret = virSystemdGetMachineNameByPID(vm->pid);
         if (!ret)
             virResetLastError();