diff --git a/backends/cryptodev-builtin.c b/backends/cryptodev-builtin.c
index 82a068e792..b24a299d9e 100644
--- a/backends/cryptodev-builtin.c
+++ b/backends/cryptodev-builtin.c
@@ -320,10 +320,12 @@ static int cryptodev_builtin_sym_operation(
 
     sess = builtin->sessions[op_info->session_id];
 
-    ret = qcrypto_cipher_setiv(sess->cipher, op_info->iv,
-                               op_info->iv_len, errp);
-    if (ret < 0) {
-        return -VIRTIO_CRYPTO_ERR;
+    if (op_info->iv_len > 0) {
+        ret = qcrypto_cipher_setiv(sess->cipher, op_info->iv,
+                                   op_info->iv_len, errp);
+        if (ret < 0) {
+            return -VIRTIO_CRYPTO_ERR;
+        }
     }
 
     if (sess->direction == VIRTIO_CRYPTO_OP_ENCRYPT) {