diff --git a/system/qdev-monitor.c b/system/qdev-monitor.c
index a13db763e5..874d65191c 100644
--- a/system/qdev-monitor.c
+++ b/system/qdev-monitor.c
@@ -858,19 +858,18 @@ void qmp_device_add(QDict *qdict, QObject **ret_data, Error **errp)
         return;
     }
     dev = qdev_device_add(opts, errp);
-
-    /*
-     * Drain all pending RCU callbacks. This is done because
-     * some bus related operations can delay a device removal
-     * (in this case this can happen if device is added and then
-     * removed due to a configuration error)
-     * to a RCU callback, but user might expect that this interface
-     * will finish its job completely once qmp command returns result
-     * to the user
-     */
-    drain_call_rcu();
-
     if (!dev) {
+        /*
+         * Drain all pending RCU callbacks. This is done because
+         * some bus related operations can delay a device removal
+         * (in this case this can happen if device is added and then
+         * removed due to a configuration error)
+         * to a RCU callback, but user might expect that this interface
+         * will finish its job completely once qmp command returns result
+         * to the user
+         */
+        drain_call_rcu();
+
         qemu_opts_del(opts);
         return;
     }