diff --git a/src/util/cgroup.c b/src/util/cgroup.c
index 62b14465b0..9fa64dca2f 100644
--- a/src/util/cgroup.c
+++ b/src/util/cgroup.c
@@ -616,6 +616,8 @@ static int virCgroupRemoveRecursively(char *grppath)
 
     grpdir = opendir(grppath);
     if (grpdir == NULL) {
+        if (errno == ENOENT)
+            return 0;
         VIR_ERROR(_("Unable to open %s (%d)"), grppath, errno);
         rc = -errno;
         return rc;