diff --git a/src/qemu/qemu_driver.c b/src/qemu/qemu_driver.c
index eba53dae41..997d7c3162 100644
--- a/src/qemu/qemu_driver.c
+++ b/src/qemu/qemu_driver.c
@@ -3873,6 +3873,12 @@ qemuDomainPinVcpuFlags(virDomainPtr dom,
     if (!pcpumap)
         goto cleanup;
 
+    if (virBitmapIsAllClear(pcpumap)) {
+        virReportError(VIR_ERR_INVALID_ARG, "%s",
+                       _("Empty cpu list for pinning"));
+        goto cleanup;
+    }
+
     /* pinning to all physical cpus means resetting,
      * so check if we can reset setting.
      */
@@ -4142,6 +4148,12 @@ qemuDomainPinEmulator(virDomainPtr dom,
     if (!pcpumap)
         goto cleanup;
 
+    if (virBitmapIsAllClear(pcpumap)) {
+        virReportError(VIR_ERR_INVALID_ARG, "%s",
+                       _("Empty cpu list for pinning"));
+        goto cleanup;
+    }
+
     /* pinning to all physical cpus means resetting,
      * so check if we can reset setting.
      */