diff --git a/lxd/instance/drivers/driver_qemu.go b/lxd/instance/drivers/driver_qemu.go
index 4c7e1c686dfb..66f5abc0dc0d 100644
--- a/lxd/instance/drivers/driver_qemu.go
+++ b/lxd/instance/drivers/driver_qemu.go
@@ -6495,11 +6495,6 @@ func (d *qemu) MigrateSend(args instance.MigrateSendArgs) error {
 	d.logger.Info("Migration send starting")
 	defer d.logger.Info("Migration send stopped")
 
-	// Check for stateful support.
-	if args.Live && shared.IsFalseOrEmpty(d.expandedConfig["migration.stateful"]) {
-		return fmt.Errorf("Stateful migration requires migration.stateful to be set to true")
-	}
-
 	// Wait for essential migration connections before negotiation.
 	connectionsCtx, cancel := context.WithTimeout(context.Background(), time.Second*10)
 	defer cancel()
@@ -6509,6 +6504,11 @@ func (d *qemu) MigrateSend(args instance.MigrateSendArgs) error {
 		return err
 	}
 
+	// Check for stateful support.
+	if args.Live && shared.IsFalseOrEmpty(d.expandedConfig["migration.stateful"]) {
+		return fmt.Errorf("Stateful migration requires migration.stateful to be set to true")
+	}
+
 	pool, err := storagePools.LoadByInstance(d.state, d)
 	if err != nil {
 		return fmt.Errorf("Failed loading instance: %w", err)