diff --git a/src/libxl/libxl_domain.c b/src/libxl/libxl_domain.c
index 604b94a006..014f6aceca 100644
--- a/src/libxl/libxl_domain.c
+++ b/src/libxl/libxl_domain.c
@@ -861,10 +861,14 @@ libxlDomainCleanup(libxlDriverPrivatePtr driver,
     virHostdevReAttachDomainDevices(hostdev_mgr, LIBXL_DRIVER_INTERNAL_NAME,
                                     vm->def, hostdev_flags);
 
-    VIR_FREE(priv->lockState);
-    if (virDomainLockProcessPause(driver->lockManager, vm, &priv->lockState) < 0)
-        VIR_WARN("Unable to release lease on %s", vm->def->name);
-    VIR_DEBUG("Preserving lock state '%s'", NULLSTR(priv->lockState));
+    if (priv->lockProcessRunning) {
+        VIR_FREE(priv->lockState);
+        if (virDomainLockProcessPause(driver->lockManager, vm, &priv->lockState) < 0)
+            VIR_WARN("Unable to release lease on %s", vm->def->name);
+        else
+            priv->lockProcessRunning = false;
+        VIR_DEBUG("Preserving lock state '%s'", NULLSTR(priv->lockState));
+    }
 
     libxlLoggerCloseFile(cfg->logger, vm->def->id);
     vm->def->id = -1;
@@ -1426,6 +1430,7 @@ libxlDomainStart(libxlDriverPrivatePtr driver,
                                   priv->lockState) < 0)
         goto destroy_dom;
     VIR_FREE(priv->lockState);
+    priv->lockProcessRunning = true;
 
     /* Always enable domain death events */
     if (libxl_evenable_domain_death(cfg->ctx, vm->def->id, 0, &priv->deathW))
diff --git a/src/libxl/libxl_domain.h b/src/libxl/libxl_domain.h
index 00682546e0..5fb76bd303 100644
--- a/src/libxl/libxl_domain.h
+++ b/src/libxl/libxl_domain.h
@@ -68,6 +68,7 @@ struct _libxlDomainObjPrivate {
     virThreadPtr migrationDstReceiveThr;
     unsigned short migrationPort;
     char *lockState;
+    bool lockProcessRunning;
 
     struct libxlDomainJobObj job;
 
diff --git a/src/libxl/libxl_migration.c b/src/libxl/libxl_migration.c
index 631f67930d..a5a9df98ad 100644
--- a/src/libxl/libxl_migration.c
+++ b/src/libxl/libxl_migration.c
@@ -1242,9 +1242,12 @@ libxlDomainMigrationSrcPerform(libxlDriverPrivatePtr driver,
     virObjectLock(vm);
 
     if (ret == 0) {
-        if (virDomainLockProcessPause(driver->lockManager, vm, &priv->lockState) < 0)
+        if (virDomainLockProcessPause(driver->lockManager, vm, &priv->lockState) == 0) {
+            priv->lockProcessRunning = false;
+            VIR_DEBUG("Preserving lock state '%s'", NULLSTR(priv->lockState));
+        } else {
             VIR_WARN("Unable to release lease on %s", vm->def->name);
-        VIR_DEBUG("Preserving lock state '%s'", NULLSTR(priv->lockState));
+        }
     } else {
         /*
          * Confirm phase will not be executed if perform fails. End the
@@ -1377,6 +1380,7 @@ libxlDomainMigrationSrcConfirm(libxlDriverPrivatePtr driver,
                                    "xen:///system",
                                    vm,
                                    priv->lockState);
+        priv->lockProcessRunning = true;
         if (libxl_domain_resume(cfg->ctx, vm->def->id, 1, 0) == 0) {
             ret = 0;
         } else {