diff --git a/src/qemu/qemu_driver.c b/src/qemu/qemu_driver.c
index 21036a4f0e..3f221a44cd 100644
--- a/src/qemu/qemu_driver.c
+++ b/src/qemu/qemu_driver.c
@@ -1988,16 +1988,16 @@ static int qemuDomainShutdownFlags(virDomainPtr dom, unsigned int flags)
     if (virDomainShutdownFlagsEnsureACL(dom->conn, vm->def, flags) < 0)
         goto cleanup;
 
+    if (qemuDomainObjBeginJob(driver, vm, QEMU_JOB_MODIFY) < 0)
+        goto cleanup;
+
     agentForced = agentRequested && !acpiRequested;
     if (!qemuDomainAgentAvailable(priv, agentForced)) {
         if (agentForced)
-            goto cleanup;
+            goto endjob;
         useAgent = false;
     }
 
-    if (qemuDomainObjBeginJob(driver, vm, QEMU_JOB_MODIFY) < 0)
-        goto cleanup;
-
     if (!virDomainObjIsActive(vm)) {
         virReportError(VIR_ERR_OPERATION_INVALID,
                        "%s", _("domain is not running"));
@@ -2086,9 +2086,7 @@ qemuDomainReboot(virDomainPtr dom, unsigned int flags)
          priv->agent))
         useAgent = true;
 
-    if (useAgent && !qemuDomainAgentAvailable(priv, true)) {
-        goto cleanup;
-    } else {
+    if (!useAgent) {
 #if WITH_YAJL
         if (virQEMUCapsGet(priv->qemuCaps, QEMU_CAPS_MONITOR_JSON)) {
             if (!virQEMUCapsGet(priv->qemuCaps, QEMU_CAPS_NO_SHUTDOWN)) {
@@ -2109,6 +2107,9 @@ qemuDomainReboot(virDomainPtr dom, unsigned int flags)
     if (qemuDomainObjBeginJob(driver, vm, QEMU_JOB_MODIFY) < 0)
         goto cleanup;
 
+    if (useAgent && !qemuDomainAgentAvailable(priv, true))
+        goto endjob;
+
     if (!virDomainObjIsActive(vm)) {
         virReportError(VIR_ERR_OPERATION_INVALID,
                        "%s", _("domain is not running"));
@@ -17659,12 +17660,12 @@ qemuDomainPMSuspendForDuration(virDomainPtr dom,
         }
     }
 
-    if (!qemuDomainAgentAvailable(priv, true))
-        goto cleanup;
-
     if (qemuDomainObjBeginJob(driver, vm, QEMU_JOB_MODIFY) < 0)
         goto cleanup;
 
+    if (!qemuDomainAgentAvailable(priv, true))
+        goto endjob;
+
     if (!virDomainObjIsActive(vm)) {
         virReportError(VIR_ERR_OPERATION_INVALID,
                        "%s", _("domain is not running"));
@@ -17779,12 +17780,12 @@ qemuDomainQemuAgentCommand(virDomainPtr domain,
         goto cleanup;
     }
 
-    if (!qemuDomainAgentAvailable(priv, true))
-        goto cleanup;
-
     if (qemuDomainObjBeginJob(driver, vm, QEMU_JOB_MODIFY) < 0)
         goto cleanup;
 
+    if (!qemuDomainAgentAvailable(priv, true))
+        goto endjob;
+
     if (!virDomainObjIsActive(vm)) {
         virReportError(VIR_ERR_OPERATION_INVALID,
                        "%s", _("domain is not running"));
@@ -17888,12 +17889,12 @@ qemuDomainFSTrim(virDomainPtr dom,
         goto cleanup;
     }
 
-    if (!qemuDomainAgentAvailable(priv, true))
-        goto cleanup;
-
     if (qemuDomainObjBeginJob(driver, vm, QEMU_JOB_MODIFY) < 0)
         goto cleanup;
 
+    if (!qemuDomainAgentAvailable(priv, true))
+        goto endjob;
+
     if (!virDomainObjIsActive(vm)) {
         virReportError(VIR_ERR_OPERATION_INVALID,
                        "%s", _("domain is not running"));