diff --git a/tools/virsh-domain.c b/tools/virsh-domain.c
index 2b775fc4cc..3b2a34f936 100644
--- a/tools/virsh-domain.c
+++ b/tools/virsh-domain.c
@@ -9661,7 +9661,9 @@ cmdQemuMonitorEvent(vshControl *ctl, const vshCmd *cmd)
         return false;
 
     if (vshCommandOptBool(cmd, "domain"))
-        dom = virshCommandOptDomain(ctl, cmd, NULL);
+        if (!(dom = virshCommandOptDomain(ctl, cmd, NULL)))
+            goto cleanup;
+
     if (vshEventStart(ctl, timeout) < 0)
         goto cleanup;