diff --git a/tools/libs/light/libxl_arm.c b/tools/libs/light/libxl_arm.c
index 23c76dae88..500904d2fa 100644
--- a/tools/libs/light/libxl_arm.c
+++ b/tools/libs/light/libxl_arm.c
@@ -907,9 +907,9 @@ static int make_xen_iommu_node(libxl__gc *gc, void *fdt)
     return 0;
 }
 
-static int make_virtio_mmio_node(libxl__gc *gc, void *fdt,
-                                 uint64_t base, uint32_t irq,
-                                 uint32_t backend_domid)
+/* The caller is responsible to complete / close the fdt node */
+static int make_virtio_mmio_node_common(libxl__gc *gc, void *fdt, uint64_t base,
+                                        uint32_t irq, uint32_t backend_domid)
 {
     int res;
     gic_interrupt intr;
@@ -942,10 +942,18 @@ static int make_virtio_mmio_node(libxl__gc *gc, void *fdt,
         if (res) return res;
     }
 
-    res = fdt_end_node(fdt);
+    return res;
+}
+
+static int make_virtio_mmio_node(libxl__gc *gc, void *fdt, uint64_t base,
+                                 uint32_t irq, uint32_t backend_domid)
+{
+    int res;
+
+    res = make_virtio_mmio_node_common(gc, fdt, base, irq, backend_domid);
     if (res) return res;
 
-    return 0;
+    return fdt_end_node(fdt);
 }
 
 static const struct arch_info *get_arch_info(libxl__gc *gc,