diff --git a/src/qemu/qemu_process.c b/src/qemu/qemu_process.c
index 310a08d6d6..a14b6f7fe0 100644
--- a/src/qemu/qemu_process.c
+++ b/src/qemu/qemu_process.c
@@ -3571,16 +3571,16 @@ qemuProcessReconnect(void *opaque)
      * deleted if qemuConnectMonitor() failed */
     virObjectRef(obj);
 
+    cfg = virQEMUDriverGetConfig(driver);
+    priv = obj->privateData;
+
     if (qemuDomainObjBeginJob(driver, obj, QEMU_JOB_MODIFY) < 0)
         goto killvm;
 
     virNWFilterReadLockFilterUpdates();
 
-    cfg = virQEMUDriverGetConfig(driver);
     VIR_DEBUG("Reconnect monitor to %p '%s'", obj, obj->def->name);
 
-    priv = obj->privateData;
-
     /* XXX check PID liveliness & EXE path */
     if (qemuConnectMonitor(driver, obj, QEMU_ASYNC_JOB_NONE, -1) < 0)
         goto error;