diff --git a/src/conf/domain_conf.c b/src/conf/domain_conf.c
index 53ef6947b9..dfd5a0d19d 100644
--- a/src/conf/domain_conf.c
+++ b/src/conf/domain_conf.c
@@ -20054,7 +20054,7 @@ virDomainListPopulate(void *payload,
     /* just count the machines */
     if (!data->domains) {
         data->ndomains++;
-        return;
+        goto cleanup;
     }
 
     if (!(dom = virGetDomain(data->conn, vm->def->name, vm->def->uuid))) {