diff --git a/iohandler.c b/iohandler.c
index dea43552d2..a2d871bb91 100644
--- a/iohandler.c
+++ b/iohandler.c
@@ -56,6 +56,8 @@ int qemu_set_fd_handler2(int fd,
 {
     IOHandlerRecord *ioh;
 
+    assert(fd >= 0);
+
     if (!fd_read && !fd_write) {
         QLIST_FOREACH(ioh, &io_handlers, next) {
             if (ioh->fd == fd) {
diff --git a/qemu-char.c b/qemu-char.c
index 10d1504948..7f0f895157 100644
--- a/qemu-char.c
+++ b/qemu-char.c
@@ -2329,8 +2329,10 @@ static void tcp_chr_connect(void *opaque)
     TCPCharDriver *s = chr->opaque;
 
     s->connected = 1;
-    qemu_set_fd_handler2(s->fd, tcp_chr_read_poll,
-                         tcp_chr_read, NULL, chr);
+    if (s->fd >= 0) {
+        qemu_set_fd_handler2(s->fd, tcp_chr_read_poll,
+                             tcp_chr_read, NULL, chr);
+    }
     qemu_chr_generic_open(chr);
 }