diff --git a/hw/qxl.c b/hw/qxl.c
index db7ae7a8ff..7991e70fbd 100644
--- a/hw/qxl.c
+++ b/hw/qxl.c
@@ -821,17 +821,15 @@ static void qxl_check_state(PCIQXLDevice *d)
 {
     QXLRam *ram = d->ram;
 
-    assert(SPICE_RING_IS_EMPTY(&ram->cmd_ring));
-    assert(SPICE_RING_IS_EMPTY(&ram->cursor_ring));
+    assert(!d->ssd.running || SPICE_RING_IS_EMPTY(&ram->cmd_ring));
+    assert(!d->ssd.running || SPICE_RING_IS_EMPTY(&ram->cursor_ring));
 }
 
 static void qxl_reset_state(PCIQXLDevice *d)
 {
-    QXLRam *ram = d->ram;
     QXLRom *rom = d->rom;
 
-    assert(!d->ssd.running || SPICE_RING_IS_EMPTY(&ram->cmd_ring));
-    assert(!d->ssd.running || SPICE_RING_IS_EMPTY(&ram->cursor_ring));
+    qxl_check_state(d);
     d->shadow_rom.update_id = cpu_to_le32(0);
     *rom = d->shadow_rom;
     qxl_rom_set_dirty(d);