diff --git a/src/storage/storage_backend_fs.c b/src/storage/storage_backend_fs.c
index f0ef07b2fa..f4341f32cf 100644
--- a/src/storage/storage_backend_fs.c
+++ b/src/storage/storage_backend_fs.c
@@ -605,8 +605,17 @@ static int
 virStorageBackendFileSystemStart(virConnectPtr conn ATTRIBUTE_UNUSED,
                                  virStoragePoolObjPtr pool)
 {
-    if (pool->def->type != VIR_STORAGE_POOL_DIR &&
-        virStorageBackendFileSystemMount(pool) < 0)
+    const char *format =
+        virStoragePoolFormatFileSystemTypeToString(pool->def->source.format);
+    const char *path = pool->def->source.devices[0].path;
+
+    if (pool->def->type == VIR_STORAGE_POOL_DIR)
+        return 0;
+
+    if (!virStorageBackendDeviceIsEmpty(path, format, false))
+        return -1;
+
+    if (virStorageBackendFileSystemMount(pool) < 0)
         return -1;
 
     return 0;