diff --git a/net/colo-compare.c b/net/colo-compare.c
index c30dbfb6e6..ed1f3d0af0 100644
--- a/net/colo-compare.c
+++ b/net/colo-compare.c
@@ -1283,15 +1283,6 @@ static void colo_compare_complete(UserCreatable *uc, Error **errp)
                            s->vnet_hdr);
     }
 
-    qemu_mutex_lock(&colo_compare_mutex);
-    if (!colo_compare_active) {
-        qemu_mutex_init(&event_mtx);
-        qemu_cond_init(&event_complete_cond);
-        colo_compare_active = true;
-    }
-    QTAILQ_INSERT_TAIL(&net_compares, s, next);
-    qemu_mutex_unlock(&colo_compare_mutex);
-
     s->out_sendco.s = s;
     s->out_sendco.chr = &s->chr_out;
     s->out_sendco.notify_remote_frame = false;
@@ -1314,6 +1305,16 @@ static void colo_compare_complete(UserCreatable *uc, Error **errp)
                                                       connection_destroy);
 
     colo_compare_iothread(s);
+
+    qemu_mutex_lock(&colo_compare_mutex);
+    if (!colo_compare_active) {
+        qemu_mutex_init(&event_mtx);
+        qemu_cond_init(&event_complete_cond);
+        colo_compare_active = true;
+    }
+    QTAILQ_INSERT_TAIL(&net_compares, s, next);
+    qemu_mutex_unlock(&colo_compare_mutex);
+
     return;
 }
 
@@ -1382,19 +1383,6 @@ static void colo_compare_finalize(Object *obj)
     CompareState *s = COLO_COMPARE(obj);
     CompareState *tmp = NULL;
 
-    qemu_chr_fe_deinit(&s->chr_pri_in, false);
-    qemu_chr_fe_deinit(&s->chr_sec_in, false);
-    qemu_chr_fe_deinit(&s->chr_out, false);
-    if (s->notify_dev) {
-        qemu_chr_fe_deinit(&s->chr_notify_dev, false);
-    }
-
-    if (s->iothread) {
-        colo_compare_timer_del(s);
-    }
-
-    qemu_bh_delete(s->event_bh);
-
     qemu_mutex_lock(&colo_compare_mutex);
     QTAILQ_FOREACH(tmp, &net_compares, next) {
         if (tmp == s) {
@@ -1409,6 +1397,19 @@ static void colo_compare_finalize(Object *obj)
     }
     qemu_mutex_unlock(&colo_compare_mutex);
 
+    qemu_chr_fe_deinit(&s->chr_pri_in, false);
+    qemu_chr_fe_deinit(&s->chr_sec_in, false);
+    qemu_chr_fe_deinit(&s->chr_out, false);
+    if (s->notify_dev) {
+        qemu_chr_fe_deinit(&s->chr_notify_dev, false);
+    }
+
+    if (s->iothread) {
+        colo_compare_timer_del(s);
+    }
+
+    qemu_bh_delete(s->event_bh);
+
     AioContext *ctx = iothread_get_aio_context(s->iothread);
     aio_context_acquire(ctx);
     AIO_WAIT_WHILE(ctx, !s->out_sendco.done);