diff --git a/hw/virtio-blk.c b/hw/virtio-blk.c
index 8747634fbe..99e9dd294b 100644
--- a/hw/virtio-blk.c
+++ b/hw/virtio-blk.c
@@ -12,6 +12,7 @@
  */
 
 #include <qemu-common.h>
+#include "qemu-error.h"
 #include "virtio-blk.h"
 #ifdef __linux__
 # include <scsi/sg.h>
@@ -490,6 +491,11 @@ VirtIODevice *virtio_blk_init(DeviceState *dev, BlockConf *conf)
     static int virtio_blk_id;
     DriveInfo *dinfo;
 
+    if (!conf->bs) {
+        error_report("virtio-blk-pci: drive property not set");
+        return NULL;
+    }
+
     s = (VirtIOBlock *)virtio_common_init("virtio-blk", VIRTIO_ID_BLOCK,
                                           sizeof(struct virtio_blk_config),
                                           sizeof(VirtIOBlock));
diff --git a/hw/virtio-pci.c b/hw/virtio-pci.c
index 55831665f6..31a711ef41 100644
--- a/hw/virtio-pci.c
+++ b/hw/virtio-pci.c
@@ -546,10 +546,6 @@ static int virtio_blk_init_pci(PCIDevice *pci_dev)
         proxy->class_code != PCI_CLASS_STORAGE_OTHER)
         proxy->class_code = PCI_CLASS_STORAGE_SCSI;
 
-    if (!proxy->block.bs) {
-        error_report("virtio-blk-pci: drive property not set");
-        return -1;
-    }
     vdev = virtio_blk_init(&pci_dev->qdev, &proxy->block);
     if (!vdev) {
         return -1;