diff --git a/hw/net/virtio-net.c b/hw/net/virtio-net.c
index 3c31471026..87088ba374 100644
--- a/hw/net/virtio-net.c
+++ b/hw/net/virtio-net.c
@@ -2810,11 +2810,6 @@ static bool failover_replug_primary(VirtIONet *n, Error **errp)
             goto out;
         }
     }
-    if (!n->primary_dev) {
-            error_setg(errp, "virtio_net: couldn't find primary device");
-            goto out;
-    }
-
     n->primary_bus = n->primary_dev->parent_bus;
     if (!n->primary_bus) {
         error_setg(errp, "virtio_net: couldn't find primary bus");
@@ -2849,8 +2844,7 @@ static void virtio_net_handle_migration_primary(VirtIONet *n,
         }
     }
 
-    if (migration_in_setup(s) && !should_be_hidden &&
-        n->primary_dev) {
+    if (migration_in_setup(s) && !should_be_hidden) {
         if (failover_unplug_primary(n)) {
             vmstate_unregister(n->primary_dev, qdev_get_vmsd(n->primary_dev),
                     n->primary_dev);