diff --git a/src/qemu/qemu_checkpoint.c b/src/qemu/qemu_checkpoint.c
index 76f10a701e..62b6e87b53 100644
--- a/src/qemu/qemu_checkpoint.c
+++ b/src/qemu/qemu_checkpoint.c
@@ -771,17 +771,17 @@ qemuCheckpointDelete(virDomainObjPtr vm,
         return -1;
 
     if (!metadata_only) {
-        if (!virQEMUCapsGet(priv->qemuCaps, QEMU_CAPS_INCREMENTAL_BACKUP)) {
-            virReportError(VIR_ERR_OPERATION_UNSUPPORTED, "%s",
-                           _("incremental backup is not supported yet"));
-            goto endjob;
-        }
-
         if (!virDomainObjIsActive(vm)) {
             virReportError(VIR_ERR_OPERATION_UNSUPPORTED, "%s",
                            _("cannot delete checkpoint for inactive domain"));
             goto endjob;
         }
+
+        if (!virQEMUCapsGet(priv->qemuCaps, QEMU_CAPS_INCREMENTAL_BACKUP)) {
+            virReportError(VIR_ERR_OPERATION_UNSUPPORTED, "%s",
+                           _("incremental backup is not supported yet"));
+            goto endjob;
+        }
     }
 
     if (!(chk = qemuCheckpointObjFromCheckpoint(vm, checkpoint)))