diff --git a/main-loop.c b/main-loop.c
index 89a699419f..6a7f8d30bd 100644
--- a/main-loop.c
+++ b/main-loop.c
@@ -154,11 +154,11 @@ int qemu_init_main_loop(Error **errp)
     }
 
     qemu_aio_context = aio_context_new(&local_error);
-    qemu_notify_bh = qemu_bh_new(notify_event_cb, NULL);
     if (!qemu_aio_context) {
         error_propagate(errp, local_error);
         return -EMFILE;
     }
+    qemu_notify_bh = qemu_bh_new(notify_event_cb, NULL);
     gpollfds = g_array_new(FALSE, FALSE, sizeof(GPollFD));
     src = aio_get_g_source(qemu_aio_context);
     g_source_attach(src, NULL);