diff --git a/hw/vfio/container.c b/hw/vfio/container.c
index afcfe80488..f4a0434a52 100644
--- a/hw/vfio/container.c
+++ b/hw/vfio/container.c
@@ -370,7 +370,7 @@ static int vfio_get_iommu_type(VFIOContainer *container,
 }
 
 static int vfio_init_container(VFIOContainer *container, int group_fd,
-                               Error **errp)
+                               VFIOAddressSpace *space, Error **errp)
 {
     int iommu_type, ret;
 
@@ -401,6 +401,7 @@ static int vfio_init_container(VFIOContainer *container, int group_fd,
     }
 
     container->iommu_type = iommu_type;
+    vfio_container_init(&container->bcontainer, space, &vfio_legacy_ops);
     return 0;
 }
 
@@ -583,9 +584,8 @@ static int vfio_connect_container(VFIOGroup *group, AddressSpace *as,
     container = g_malloc0(sizeof(*container));
     container->fd = fd;
     bcontainer = &container->bcontainer;
-    vfio_container_init(bcontainer, space, &vfio_legacy_ops);
 
-    ret = vfio_init_container(container, group->fd, errp);
+    ret = vfio_init_container(container, group->fd, space, errp);
     if (ret) {
         goto free_container_exit;
     }