diff --git a/block.c b/block.c
index 068e41d9d9..dbd60e3f3e 100644
--- a/block.c
+++ b/block.c
@@ -1459,6 +1459,7 @@ int bdrv_change_backing_file(BlockDriverState *bs,
     const char *backing_file, const char *backing_fmt)
 {
     BlockDriver *drv = bs->drv;
+    int ret;
 
     /* Backing file format doesn't make sense without a backing file */
     if (backing_fmt && !backing_file) {
@@ -1466,10 +1467,16 @@ int bdrv_change_backing_file(BlockDriverState *bs,
     }
 
     if (drv->bdrv_change_backing_file != NULL) {
-        return drv->bdrv_change_backing_file(bs, backing_file, backing_fmt);
+        ret = drv->bdrv_change_backing_file(bs, backing_file, backing_fmt);
     } else {
-        return -ENOTSUP;
+        ret = -ENOTSUP;
     }
+
+    if (ret == 0) {
+        pstrcpy(bs->backing_file, sizeof(bs->backing_file), backing_file ?: "");
+        pstrcpy(bs->backing_format, sizeof(bs->backing_format), backing_fmt ?: "");
+    }
+    return ret;
 }
 
 static int bdrv_check_byte_request(BlockDriverState *bs, int64_t offset,
diff --git a/block/stream.c b/block/stream.c
index 6724af2764..b7e1ad4989 100644
--- a/block/stream.c
+++ b/block/stream.c
@@ -96,17 +96,6 @@ static void close_unused_images(BlockDriverState *top, BlockDriverState *base,
         bdrv_delete(unused);
     }
     top->backing_hd = base;
-
-    pstrcpy(top->backing_file, sizeof(top->backing_file), "");
-    pstrcpy(top->backing_format, sizeof(top->backing_format), "");
-    if (base_id) {
-        pstrcpy(top->backing_file, sizeof(top->backing_file), base_id);
-        if (base->drv) {
-            pstrcpy(top->backing_format, sizeof(top->backing_format),
-                    base->drv->format_name);
-        }
-    }
-
 }
 
 /*