diff --git a/util/qemu-option.c b/util/qemu-option.c
index fd1fd23521..1df55bc881 100644
--- a/util/qemu-option.c
+++ b/util/qemu-option.c
@@ -270,6 +270,7 @@ static void qemu_opt_del_all(QemuOpts *opts, const char *name)
 const char *qemu_opt_get(QemuOpts *opts, const char *name)
 {
     QemuOpt *opt;
+    const QemuOptDesc *desc;
 
     if (opts == NULL) {
         return NULL;
@@ -277,7 +278,7 @@ const char *qemu_opt_get(QemuOpts *opts, const char *name)
 
     opt = qemu_opt_find(opts, name);
     if (!opt) {
-        const QemuOptDesc *desc = find_desc_by_name(opts->list->desc, name);
+        desc = find_desc_by_name(opts->list->desc, name);
         if (desc && desc->def_value_str) {
             return desc->def_value_str;
         }
@@ -348,6 +349,7 @@ static bool qemu_opt_get_bool_helper(QemuOpts *opts, const char *name,
                                      bool defval, bool del)
 {
     QemuOpt *opt;
+    const QemuOptDesc *desc;
     bool ret = defval;
 
     if (opts == NULL) {
@@ -356,7 +358,7 @@ static bool qemu_opt_get_bool_helper(QemuOpts *opts, const char *name,
 
     opt = qemu_opt_find(opts, name);
     if (opt == NULL) {
-        const QemuOptDesc *desc = find_desc_by_name(opts->list->desc, name);
+        desc = find_desc_by_name(opts->list->desc, name);
         if (desc && desc->def_value_str) {
             parse_option_bool(name, desc->def_value_str, &ret, &error_abort);
         }
@@ -384,6 +386,7 @@ static uint64_t qemu_opt_get_number_helper(QemuOpts *opts, const char *name,
                                            uint64_t defval, bool del)
 {
     QemuOpt *opt;
+    const QemuOptDesc *desc;
     uint64_t ret = defval;
 
     if (opts == NULL) {
@@ -392,7 +395,7 @@ static uint64_t qemu_opt_get_number_helper(QemuOpts *opts, const char *name,
 
     opt = qemu_opt_find(opts, name);
     if (opt == NULL) {
-        const QemuOptDesc *desc = find_desc_by_name(opts->list->desc, name);
+        desc = find_desc_by_name(opts->list->desc, name);
         if (desc && desc->def_value_str) {
             parse_option_number(name, desc->def_value_str, &ret, &error_abort);
         }
@@ -421,6 +424,7 @@ static uint64_t qemu_opt_get_size_helper(QemuOpts *opts, const char *name,
                                          uint64_t defval, bool del)
 {
     QemuOpt *opt;
+    const QemuOptDesc *desc;
     uint64_t ret = defval;
 
     if (opts == NULL) {
@@ -429,7 +433,7 @@ static uint64_t qemu_opt_get_size_helper(QemuOpts *opts, const char *name,
 
     opt = qemu_opt_find(opts, name);
     if (opt == NULL) {
-        const QemuOptDesc *desc = find_desc_by_name(opts->list->desc, name);
+        desc = find_desc_by_name(opts->list->desc, name);
         if (desc && desc->def_value_str) {
             parse_option_size(name, desc->def_value_str, &ret, &error_abort);
         }
@@ -540,18 +544,18 @@ void qemu_opt_set_bool(QemuOpts *opts, const char *name, bool val,
                        Error **errp)
 {
     QemuOpt *opt;
-    const QemuOptDesc *desc = opts->list->desc;
+    const QemuOptDesc *desc;
 
-    opt = g_malloc0(sizeof(*opt));
-    opt->desc = find_desc_by_name(desc, name);
-    if (!opt->desc && !opts_accepts_any(opts)) {
+    desc = find_desc_by_name(opts->list->desc, name);
+    if (!desc && !opts_accepts_any(opts)) {
         error_setg(errp, QERR_INVALID_PARAMETER, name);
-        g_free(opt);
         return;
     }
 
+    opt = g_malloc0(sizeof(*opt));
     opt->name = g_strdup(name);
     opt->opts = opts;
+    opt->desc = desc;
     opt->value.boolean = !!val;
     opt->str = g_strdup(val ? "on" : "off");
     QTAILQ_INSERT_TAIL(&opts->head, opt, next);
@@ -561,18 +565,18 @@ void qemu_opt_set_number(QemuOpts *opts, const char *name, int64_t val,
                          Error **errp)
 {
     QemuOpt *opt;
-    const QemuOptDesc *desc = opts->list->desc;
+    const QemuOptDesc *desc;
 
-    opt = g_malloc0(sizeof(*opt));
-    opt->desc = find_desc_by_name(desc, name);
-    if (!opt->desc && !opts_accepts_any(opts)) {
+    desc = find_desc_by_name(opts->list->desc, name);
+    if (!desc && !opts_accepts_any(opts)) {
         error_setg(errp, QERR_INVALID_PARAMETER, name);
-        g_free(opt);
         return;
     }
 
+    opt = g_malloc0(sizeof(*opt));
     opt->name = g_strdup(name);
     opt->opts = opts;
+    opt->desc = desc;
     opt->value.uint = val;
     opt->str = g_strdup_printf("%" PRId64, val);
     QTAILQ_INSERT_TAIL(&opts->head, opt, next);