diff --git a/migration/migration.c b/migration/migration.c
index c4c9aee15e..187ac0410c 100644
--- a/migration/migration.c
+++ b/migration/migration.c
@@ -3478,7 +3478,12 @@ void migrate_fd_connect(MigrationState *s, Error *error_in)
     bool resume = s->state == MIGRATION_STATUS_POSTCOPY_PAUSED;
 
     s->expected_downtime = s->parameters.downtime_limit;
-    s->cleanup_bh = qemu_bh_new(migrate_fd_cleanup_bh, s);
+    if (resume) {
+        assert(s->cleanup_bh);
+    } else {
+        assert(!s->cleanup_bh);
+        s->cleanup_bh = qemu_bh_new(migrate_fd_cleanup_bh, s);
+    }
     if (error_in) {
         migrate_fd_error(s, error_in);
         migrate_fd_cleanup(s);