diff --git a/target/arm/arm-semi.c b/target/arm/arm-semi.c
index 47d61f6fe1..788fe61b51 100644
--- a/target/arm/arm-semi.c
+++ b/target/arm/arm-semi.c
@@ -144,7 +144,8 @@ static int alloc_guestfd(void)
         guestfd_array = g_array_new(FALSE, TRUE, sizeof(GuestFD));
     }
 
-    for (i = 0; i < guestfd_array->len; i++) {
+    /* SYS_OPEN should return nonzero handle on success. Start guestfd from 1 */
+    for (i = 1; i < guestfd_array->len; i++) {
         GuestFD *gf = &g_array_index(guestfd_array, GuestFD, i);
 
         if (gf->type == GuestFDUnused) {
@@ -168,7 +169,7 @@ static GuestFD *do_get_guestfd(int guestfd)
         return NULL;
     }
 
-    if (guestfd < 0 || guestfd >= guestfd_array->len) {
+    if (guestfd <= 0 || guestfd >= guestfd_array->len) {
         return NULL;
     }