diff --git a/tools/libxl/libxl_device.c b/tools/libxl/libxl_device.c
index dfdf860f84..a98707c8fc 100644
--- a/tools/libxl/libxl_device.c
+++ b/tools/libxl/libxl_device.c
@@ -191,20 +191,13 @@ static int disk_try_backend(disk_try_backend_args *a,
 
     switch (backend) {
     case LIBXL_DISK_BACKEND_PHY:
-        if (!(a->disk->format == LIBXL_DISK_FORMAT_RAW ||
-              a->disk->format == LIBXL_DISK_FORMAT_EMPTY)) {
+        if (a->disk->format != LIBXL_DISK_FORMAT_RAW) {
             goto bad_format;
         }
 
         if (libxl_defbool_val(a->disk->colo_enable))
             goto bad_colo;
 
-        if (a->disk->format == LIBXL_DISK_FORMAT_EMPTY) {
-            LOG(DEBUG, "Disk vdev=%s is empty, skipping physical device check",
-                a->disk->vdev);
-            return backend;
-        }
-
         if (a->disk->backend_domid != LIBXL_TOOLSTACK_DOMID) {
             LOG(DEBUG, "Disk vdev=%s, is using a storage driver domain, "
                        "skipping physical device check", a->disk->vdev);