diff --git a/exec.c b/exec.c
index d611100dc3..81f08b7846 100644
--- a/exec.c
+++ b/exec.c
@@ -2957,8 +2957,11 @@ void *qemu_get_ram_ptr(ram_addr_t addr)
 
     QLIST_FOREACH(block, &ram_list.blocks, next) {
         if (addr - block->offset < block->length) {
-            QLIST_REMOVE(block, next);
-            QLIST_INSERT_HEAD(&ram_list.blocks, block, next);
+            /* Move this entry to to start of the list.  */
+            if (block != QLIST_FIRST(&ram_list.blocks)) {
+                QLIST_REMOVE(block, next);
+                QLIST_INSERT_HEAD(&ram_list.blocks, block, next);
+            }
             return block->host + (addr - block->offset);
         }
     }