diff --git a/tools/libxl/libxl_stream_read.c b/tools/libxl/libxl_stream_read.c
index 2d17403e44..0535e7f21f 100644
--- a/tools/libxl/libxl_stream_read.c
+++ b/tools/libxl/libxl_stream_read.c
@@ -609,6 +609,7 @@ static void write_emulator_blob(libxl__egc *egc,
     dc->ao = stream->ao;
     dc->writewhat = "qemu save file";
     dc->writefd = writefd;
+    dc->readfd = -1;
     dc->maxsz = -1;
     dc->callback = write_emulator_done;
 
diff --git a/tools/libxl/libxl_stream_write.c b/tools/libxl/libxl_stream_write.c
index 944a87b990..96b9b07f27 100644
--- a/tools/libxl/libxl_stream_write.c
+++ b/tools/libxl/libxl_stream_write.c
@@ -387,6 +387,7 @@ static void write_emulator_record(libxl__egc *egc,
     dc->ao            = stream->ao;
     dc->readwhat      = "qemu save file";
     dc->readfd        = readfd;
+    dc->writefd       = -1;
     dc->maxsz         = -1;
     dc->readbuf       = stream->emu_body + sizeof(*ehdr);
     dc->bytes_to_read = rec->length - sizeof(*ehdr);