diff --git a/hw/vfio/common.c b/hw/vfio/common.c
index 56cfe94d97..019da387d2 100644
--- a/hw/vfio/common.c
+++ b/hw/vfio/common.c
@@ -1909,6 +1909,10 @@ static VFIOAddressSpace *vfio_get_address_space(AddressSpace *as)
     space->as = as;
     QLIST_INIT(&space->containers);
 
+    if (QLIST_EMPTY(&vfio_address_spaces)) {
+        qemu_register_reset(vfio_reset_handler, NULL);
+    }
+
     QLIST_INSERT_HEAD(&vfio_address_spaces, space, list);
 
     return space;
@@ -1920,6 +1924,9 @@ static void vfio_put_address_space(VFIOAddressSpace *space)
         QLIST_REMOVE(space, list);
         g_free(space);
     }
+    if (QLIST_EMPTY(&vfio_address_spaces)) {
+        qemu_unregister_reset(vfio_reset_handler, NULL);
+    }
 }
 
 /*
@@ -2385,10 +2392,6 @@ static VFIOGroup *vfio_get_group(int groupid, AddressSpace *as, Error **errp)
         goto close_fd_exit;
     }
 
-    if (QLIST_EMPTY(&vfio_group_list)) {
-        qemu_register_reset(vfio_reset_handler, NULL);
-    }
-
     QLIST_INSERT_HEAD(&vfio_group_list, group, next);
 
     return group;
@@ -2417,10 +2420,6 @@ static void vfio_put_group(VFIOGroup *group)
     trace_vfio_put_group(group->fd);
     close(group->fd);
     g_free(group);
-
-    if (QLIST_EMPTY(&vfio_group_list)) {
-        qemu_unregister_reset(vfio_reset_handler, NULL);
-    }
 }
 
 struct vfio_device_info *vfio_get_device_info(int fd)