diff --git a/src/qemu/qemu_hostdev.c b/src/qemu/qemu_hostdev.c
index 73d26f4c63..afe445d4e7 100644
--- a/src/qemu/qemu_hostdev.c
+++ b/src/qemu/qemu_hostdev.c
@@ -330,9 +330,14 @@ qemuHostdevPrepareMediatedDevices(virQEMUDriverPtr driver,
                                   int nhostdevs)
 {
     virHostdevManagerPtr hostdev_mgr = driver->hostdevMgr;
-    bool supportsVFIO = qemuHostdevHostSupportsPassthroughVFIO();
+    bool supportsVFIO;
     size_t i;
 
+    /* Checking for VFIO only is fine with mdev, as IOMMU isolation is achieved
+     * by the physical parent device.
+     */
+    supportsVFIO = virFileExists("/dev/vfio/vfio");
+
     for (i = 0; i < nhostdevs; i++) {
         if (hostdevs[i]->mode == VIR_DOMAIN_HOSTDEV_MODE_SUBSYS &&
             hostdevs[i]->source.subsys.type == VIR_DOMAIN_HOSTDEV_SUBSYS_TYPE_MDEV) {