diff --git a/hw/virtio/vhost-vdpa.c b/hw/virtio/vhost-vdpa.c
index 47d7a5a23d..ea1aa71ad8 100644
--- a/hw/virtio/vhost-vdpa.c
+++ b/hw/virtio/vhost-vdpa.c
@@ -28,6 +28,7 @@ static bool vhost_vdpa_listener_skipped_section(MemoryRegionSection *section)
 {
     return (!memory_region_is_ram(section->mr) &&
             !memory_region_is_iommu(section->mr)) ||
+            memory_region_is_protected(section->mr) ||
            /* vhost-vDPA doesn't allow MMIO to be mapped  */
             memory_region_is_ram_device(section->mr) ||
            /*