diff --git a/src/qemu/qemu_hotplug.c b/src/qemu/qemu_hotplug.c
index 5b0a3f5155..a6de254071 100644
--- a/src/qemu/qemu_hotplug.c
+++ b/src/qemu/qemu_hotplug.c
@@ -3691,9 +3691,6 @@ qemuDomainRemoveMemoryDevice(virQEMUDriverPtr driver,
     VIR_DEBUG("Removing memory device %s from domain %p %s",
               mem->info.alias, vm, vm->def->name);
 
-    event = virDomainEventDeviceRemovedNewFromObj(vm, mem->info.alias);
-    qemuDomainEventQueue(driver, event);
-
     if (virAsprintf(&backendAlias, "mem%s", mem->info.alias) < 0)
         return -1;
 
@@ -3708,6 +3705,9 @@ qemuDomainRemoveMemoryDevice(virQEMUDriverPtr driver,
     if (rc < 0)
         return -1;
 
+    event = virDomainEventDeviceRemovedNewFromObj(vm, mem->info.alias);
+    qemuDomainEventQueue(driver, event);
+
     if ((idx = virDomainMemoryFindByDef(vm->def, mem)) >= 0)
         virDomainMemoryRemove(vm->def, idx);