diff --git a/ui/spice-core.c b/ui/spice-core.c
index 6a62d712feca..8f2776881931 100644
--- a/ui/spice-core.c
+++ b/ui/spice-core.c
@@ -727,8 +727,7 @@ void qemu_spice_init(void)
         qemu_spice_set_passwd(password, false, false);
     }
     if (qemu_opt_get_bool(opts, "sasl", 0)) {
-        if (spice_server_set_sasl_appname(spice_server, "qemu") == -1 ||
-            spice_server_set_sasl(spice_server, 1) == -1) {
+        if (spice_server_set_sasl(spice_server, 1) == -1) {
             error_report("spice: failed to enable sasl");
             exit(1);
         }
@@ -794,6 +793,7 @@ void qemu_spice_init(void)
 
     seamless_migration = qemu_opt_get_bool(opts, "seamless-migration", 0);
     spice_server_set_seamless_migration(spice_server, seamless_migration);
+    spice_server_set_sasl_appname(spice_server, "qemu");
     if (spice_server_init(spice_server, &core_interface) != 0) {
         error_report("failed to initialize spice server");
         exit(1);