diff --git a/src/qemu/qemu_migration.c b/src/qemu/qemu_migration.c
index 8129dcd406..c23fffef2a 100644
--- a/src/qemu/qemu_migration.c
+++ b/src/qemu/qemu_migration.c
@@ -2690,7 +2690,6 @@ qemuMigrationPrepareAny(virQEMUDriverPtr driver,
                                                   listenAddress, port,
                                                   dataFD[0])))
         goto stopjob;
-    dataFD[0] = -1; /* the FD is now owned by incoming */
 
     if (qemuProcessPrepareDomain(dconn, driver, vm,
                                  VIR_QEMU_PROCESS_START_AUTODESTROY) < 0)
diff --git a/src/qemu/qemu_process.c b/src/qemu/qemu_process.c
index f1447c33db..d669dfb32d 100644
--- a/src/qemu/qemu_process.c
+++ b/src/qemu/qemu_process.c
@@ -4166,6 +4166,9 @@ qemuProcessIncomingDefFree(qemuProcessIncomingDefPtr inc)
  * This function does not copy @path, the caller is responsible for keeping
  * the @path pointer valid during the lifetime of the allocated
  * qemuProcessIncomingDef structure.
+ *
+ * The caller is responsible for closing @fd, calling
+ * qemuProcessIncomingDefFree will NOT close it.
  */
 qemuProcessIncomingDefPtr
 qemuProcessIncomingDefNew(virQEMUCapsPtr qemuCaps,