diff --git a/migration/ram.c b/migration/ram.c
index d4f33a4f2f..278b2ff87a 100644
--- a/migration/ram.c
+++ b/migration/ram.c
@@ -1308,7 +1308,9 @@ static void multifd_recv_terminate_threads(Error *err)
            - normal quit, i.e. everything went fine, just finished
            - error quit: We close the channels so the channel threads
              finish the qio_channel_read_all_eof() */
-        qio_channel_shutdown(p->c, QIO_CHANNEL_SHUTDOWN_BOTH, NULL);
+        if (p->c) {
+            qio_channel_shutdown(p->c, QIO_CHANNEL_SHUTDOWN_BOTH, NULL);
+        }
         qemu_mutex_unlock(&p->mutex);
     }
 }