diff --git a/hw/net/virtio-net.c b/hw/net/virtio-net.c
index a788f1c5c7..7545a16ed7 100644
--- a/hw/net/virtio-net.c
+++ b/hw/net/virtio-net.c
@@ -245,7 +245,8 @@ static void virtio_net_vhost_status(VirtIONet *n, uint8_t status)
     VirtIODevice *vdev = VIRTIO_DEVICE(n);
     NetClientState *nc = qemu_get_queue(n->nic);
     int queue_pairs = n->multiqueue ? n->max_queue_pairs : 1;
-    int cvq = n->max_ncs - n->max_queue_pairs;
+    int cvq = virtio_vdev_has_feature(vdev, VIRTIO_NET_F_CTRL_VQ) ?
+              n->max_ncs - n->max_queue_pairs : 0;
 
     if (!get_vhost_net(nc->peer)) {
         return;