diff --git a/dma-helpers.c b/dma-helpers.c
index c9620a5bbd..5f421e9814 100644
--- a/dma-helpers.c
+++ b/dma-helpers.c
@@ -213,6 +213,7 @@ BlockDriverAIOCB *dma_bdrv_io(
     dbs->sg_cur_index = 0;
     dbs->sg_cur_byte = 0;
     dbs->dir = dir;
+    dbs->in_cancel = false;
     dbs->io_func = io_func;
     dbs->bh = NULL;
     qemu_iovec_init(&dbs->iov, sg->nsg);