diff --git a/src/qemu/qemu_driver.c b/src/qemu/qemu_driver.c
index a833951e47..fc080b4a48 100644
--- a/src/qemu/qemu_driver.c
+++ b/src/qemu/qemu_driver.c
@@ -14653,6 +14653,9 @@ qemuDomainSnapshotCreateInactiveExternal(virQEMUDriverPtr driver,
         if (!snapdisk->src->format)
             snapdisk->src->format = VIR_STORAGE_FILE_QCOW2;
 
+        if (qemuDomainStorageSourceValidateDepth(defdisk->src, 1, defdisk->dst) < 0)
+            return -1;
+
         /* creates cmd line args: qemu-img create -f qcow2 -o */
         if (!(cmd = virCommandNewArgList(qemuImgPath,
                                          "create",