diff --git a/hw/net/vhost_net.c b/hw/net/vhost_net.c
index df0f050548..ccac5b7a64 100644
--- a/hw/net/vhost_net.c
+++ b/hw/net/vhost_net.c
@@ -381,6 +381,7 @@ int vhost_net_start(VirtIODevice *dev, NetClientState *ncs,
             r = vhost_set_vring_enable(peer, peer->vring_enable);
 
             if (r < 0) {
+                vhost_net_stop_one(get_vhost_net(peer), dev);
                 goto err_start;
             }
         }
@@ -390,7 +391,8 @@ int vhost_net_start(VirtIODevice *dev, NetClientState *ncs,
 
 err_start:
     while (--i >= 0) {
-        peer = qemu_get_peer(ncs , i);
+        peer = qemu_get_peer(ncs, i < data_queue_pairs ?
+                                  i : n->max_queue_pairs);
         vhost_net_stop_one(get_vhost_net(peer), dev);
     }
     e = k->set_guest_notifiers(qbus->parent, total_notifiers, false);