diff --git a/src/storage/storage_backend.c b/src/storage/storage_backend.c
index e016cc828d..380ca58af5 100644
--- a/src/storage/storage_backend.c
+++ b/src/storage/storage_backend.c
@@ -1173,8 +1173,9 @@ virStorageBackendForType(int type)
 
 
 virStorageFileBackendPtr
-virStorageFileBackendForType(int type,
-                             int protocol)
+virStorageFileBackendForTypeInternal(int type,
+                                     int protocol,
+                                     bool report)
 {
     size_t i;
 
@@ -1188,6 +1189,9 @@ virStorageFileBackendForType(int type,
         }
     }
 
+    if (!report)
+        return NULL;
+
     if (type == VIR_STORAGE_TYPE_NETWORK) {
         virReportError(VIR_ERR_INTERNAL_ERROR,
                        _("missing storage backend for network files "
@@ -1203,6 +1207,14 @@ virStorageFileBackendForType(int type,
 }
 
 
+virStorageFileBackendPtr
+virStorageFileBackendForType(int type,
+                             int protocol)
+{
+    return virStorageFileBackendForTypeInternal(type, protocol, true);
+}
+
+
 struct diskType {
     int part_table_type;
     unsigned short offset;
diff --git a/src/storage/storage_backend.h b/src/storage/storage_backend.h
index 56643fbb2d..76c1afa52b 100644
--- a/src/storage/storage_backend.h
+++ b/src/storage/storage_backend.h
@@ -203,7 +203,9 @@ typedef int
                                int mode);
 
 virStorageFileBackendPtr virStorageFileBackendForType(int type, int protocol);
-
+virStorageFileBackendPtr virStorageFileBackendForTypeInternal(int type,
+                                                              int protocol,
+                                                              bool report);
 
 
 struct _virStorageFileBackend {