diff --git a/softmmu/qdev-monitor.c b/softmmu/qdev-monitor.c
index a25f5d612c..12b7540f17 100644
--- a/softmmu/qdev-monitor.c
+++ b/softmmu/qdev-monitor.c
@@ -600,7 +600,6 @@ DeviceState *qdev_device_add(QemuOpts *opts, Error **errp)
     const char *driver, *path;
     DeviceState *dev = NULL;
     BusState *bus = NULL;
-    bool hide;
 
     driver = qemu_opt_get(opts, "driver");
     if (!driver) {
@@ -634,14 +633,16 @@ DeviceState *qdev_device_add(QemuOpts *opts, Error **errp)
             return NULL;
         }
     }
-    hide = should_hide_device(opts);
 
-    if ((hide || qdev_hotplug) && bus && !qbus_is_hotpluggable(bus)) {
-        error_setg(errp, QERR_BUS_NO_HOTPLUG, bus->name);
+    if (should_hide_device(opts)) {
+        if (bus && !qbus_is_hotpluggable(bus)) {
+            error_setg(errp, QERR_BUS_NO_HOTPLUG, bus->name);
+        }
         return NULL;
     }
 
-    if (hide) {
+    if (qdev_hotplug && bus && !qbus_is_hotpluggable(bus)) {
+        error_setg(errp, QERR_BUS_NO_HOTPLUG, bus->name);
         return NULL;
     }