diff --git a/hw/rdma/rdma_backend.c b/hw/rdma/rdma_backend.c
index d29acc505b..d7a4bbd91f 100644
--- a/hw/rdma/rdma_backend.c
+++ b/hw/rdma/rdma_backend.c
@@ -744,7 +744,7 @@ static int init_device_caps(RdmaBackendDev *backend_dev,
     return 0;
 }
 
-int rdma_backend_init(RdmaBackendDev *backend_dev,
+int rdma_backend_init(RdmaBackendDev *backend_dev, PCIDevice *pdev,
                       RdmaDeviceResources *rdma_dev_res,
                       const char *backend_device_name, uint8_t port_num,
                       uint8_t backend_gid_idx, struct ibv_device_attr *dev_attr,
@@ -756,6 +756,10 @@ int rdma_backend_init(RdmaBackendDev *backend_dev,
     struct ibv_device **dev_list;
     struct ibv_port_attr port_attr;
 
+    memset(backend_dev, 0, sizeof(*backend_dev));
+
+    backend_dev->dev = pdev;
+
     backend_dev->backend_gid_idx = backend_gid_idx;
     backend_dev->port_num = port_num;
     backend_dev->rdma_dev_res = rdma_dev_res;
diff --git a/hw/rdma/rdma_backend.h b/hw/rdma/rdma_backend.h
index 3049a73962..86e8fe8ab6 100644
--- a/hw/rdma/rdma_backend.h
+++ b/hw/rdma/rdma_backend.h
@@ -46,7 +46,7 @@ static inline uint32_t rdma_backend_mr_rkey(const RdmaBackendMR *mr)
     return mr->ibmr ? mr->ibmr->rkey : 0;
 }
 
-int rdma_backend_init(RdmaBackendDev *backend_dev,
+int rdma_backend_init(RdmaBackendDev *backend_dev, PCIDevice *pdev,
                       RdmaDeviceResources *rdma_dev_res,
                       const char *backend_device_name, uint8_t port_num,
                       uint8_t backend_gid_idx, struct ibv_device_attr *dev_attr,
diff --git a/hw/rdma/vmw/pvrdma_main.c b/hw/rdma/vmw/pvrdma_main.c
index 3d448bffc4..ca5fa8d981 100644
--- a/hw/rdma/vmw/pvrdma_main.c
+++ b/hw/rdma/vmw/pvrdma_main.c
@@ -611,7 +611,7 @@ static void pvrdma_realize(PCIDevice *pdev, Error **errp)
         goto out;
     }
 
-    rc = rdma_backend_init(&dev->backend_dev, &dev->rdma_dev_res,
+    rc = rdma_backend_init(&dev->backend_dev, pdev, &dev->rdma_dev_res,
                            dev->backend_device_name, dev->backend_port_num,
                            dev->backend_gid_idx, &dev->dev_attr, errp);
     if (rc) {