diff --git a/blockdev.c b/blockdev.c
index 79fbac8450..bc339d7818 100644
--- a/blockdev.c
+++ b/blockdev.c
@@ -3450,11 +3450,16 @@ static BlockJob *do_drive_backup(DriveBackup *backup, JobTxn *txn,
         backup->compress = false;
     }
 
-    bs = qmp_get_root_bs(backup->device, errp);
+    bs = bdrv_lookup_bs(backup->device, backup->device, errp);
     if (!bs) {
         return NULL;
     }
 
+    if (!bs->drv) {
+        error_setg(errp, "Device has no medium");
+        return NULL;
+    }
+
     aio_context = bdrv_get_aio_context(bs);
     aio_context_acquire(aio_context);
 
diff --git a/tests/qemu-iotests/056 b/tests/qemu-iotests/056
index 3df323984d..f40fc11a09 100755
--- a/tests/qemu-iotests/056
+++ b/tests/qemu-iotests/056
@@ -214,7 +214,7 @@ class BackupTest(iotests.QMPTestCase):
         res = self.vm.qmp('query-block-jobs')
         self.assert_qmp(res, 'return[0]/status', 'concluded')
         # Leave zombie job un-dismissed, observe a failure:
-        res = self.qmp_backup_and_wait(serror='Need a root block node',
+        res = self.qmp_backup_and_wait(serror="Node 'drive0' is busy: block device is in use by block job: backup",
                                        device='drive0', format=iotests.imgfmt,
                                        sync='full', target=self.dest_img,
                                        auto_dismiss=False)