diff --git a/src/conf/domain_conf.c b/src/conf/domain_conf.c
index 97d42fe993..c0c1549a65 100644
--- a/src/conf/domain_conf.c
+++ b/src/conf/domain_conf.c
@@ -11543,6 +11543,7 @@ virDomainGraphicsListenDefParseXML(virDomainGraphicsListenDefPtr def,
     char *network = virXMLPropString(node, "network");
     char *socketPath = virXMLPropString(node, "socket");
     char *fromConfig = virXMLPropString(node, "fromConfig");
+    char *autoGenerated = virXMLPropString(node, "autoGenerated");
     char *addressCompat = NULL;
     char *socketCompat = NULL;
     const char *graphicsType = virDomainGraphicsTypeToString(graphics->type);
@@ -11662,6 +11663,18 @@ virDomainGraphicsListenDefParseXML(virDomainGraphicsListenDefPtr def,
         def->fromConfig = tmp != 0;
     }
 
+    if (autoGenerated &&
+        flags & VIR_DOMAIN_DEF_PARSE_STATUS) {
+        if (STREQ(autoGenerated, "yes")) {
+            def->autoGenerated = true;
+        } else if (STRNEQ(autoGenerated, "no")) {
+            virReportError(VIR_ERR_XML_ERROR,
+                           _("Invalid autoGenerated value: %s"),
+                           autoGenerated);
+            goto error;
+        }
+    }
+
     ret = 0;
  error:
     if (ret < 0)
@@ -11671,6 +11684,7 @@ virDomainGraphicsListenDefParseXML(virDomainGraphicsListenDefPtr def,
     VIR_FREE(network);
     VIR_FREE(socketPath);
     VIR_FREE(fromConfig);
+    VIR_FREE(autoGenerated);
     VIR_FREE(addressCompat);
     VIR_FREE(socketCompat);
     return ret;
@@ -22894,8 +22908,11 @@ virDomainGraphicsListenDefFormat(virBufferPtr buf,
         virBufferEscapeString(buf, " socket='%s'", def->socket);
     }
 
-    if (flags & VIR_DOMAIN_DEF_FORMAT_STATUS)
+    if (flags & VIR_DOMAIN_DEF_FORMAT_STATUS) {
         virBufferAsprintf(buf, " fromConfig='%d'", def->fromConfig);
+        virBufferAsprintf(buf, " autoGenerated='%s'",
+                          def->autoGenerated ? "yes" : "no");
+    }
 
     virBufferAddLit(buf, "/>\n");
 }
diff --git a/src/qemu/qemu_domain.c b/src/qemu/qemu_domain.c
index 4d184d3030..1a42fcf1b3 100644
--- a/src/qemu/qemu_domain.c
+++ b/src/qemu/qemu_domain.c
@@ -2567,11 +2567,12 @@ qemuDomainRecheckInternalPaths(virDomainDefPtr def,
             /* This will happen only if we parse XML from old libvirts where
              * unix socket was available only for VNC graphics.  In this
              * particular case we should follow the behavior and if we remove
-             * the auto-generated socket base on config option from qemu.conf
+             * the auto-generated socket based on config option from qemu.conf
              * we need to change the listen type to address. */
             if (graphics->type == VIR_DOMAIN_GRAPHICS_TYPE_VNC &&
                 glisten->type == VIR_DOMAIN_GRAPHICS_LISTEN_TYPE_SOCKET &&
                 glisten->socket &&
+                !glisten->autoGenerated &&
                 STRPREFIX(glisten->socket, cfg->libDir)) {
                 if (flags & VIR_DOMAIN_DEF_PARSE_INACTIVE) {
                     VIR_FREE(glisten->socket);