diff --git a/hw/virtio/virtio-crypto.c b/hw/virtio/virtio-crypto.c
index 9213258f6fef..fc30bc3ddc8f 100644
--- a/hw/virtio/virtio-crypto.c
+++ b/hw/virtio/virtio-crypto.c
@@ -877,6 +877,20 @@ static void virtio_crypto_class_init(ObjectClass *klass, void *data)
     vdc->reset = virtio_crypto_reset;
 }
 
+static void
+virtio_crypto_check_cryptodev_is_used(Object *obj, const char *name,
+                                      Object *val, Error **errp)
+{
+    if (cryptodev_backend_is_used(CRYPTODEV_BACKEND(val))) {
+        char *path = object_get_canonical_path_component(val);
+        error_setg(errp,
+            "can't use already used cryptodev backend: %s", path);
+        g_free(path);
+    } else {
+        qdev_prop_allow_set_link_before_realize(obj, name, val, errp);
+    }
+}
+
 static void virtio_crypto_instance_init(Object *obj)
 {
     VirtIOCrypto *vcrypto = VIRTIO_CRYPTO(obj);
@@ -890,7 +904,7 @@ static void virtio_crypto_instance_init(Object *obj)
     object_property_add_link(obj, "cryptodev",
                              TYPE_CRYPTODEV_BACKEND,
                              (Object **)&vcrypto->conf.cryptodev,
-                             qdev_prop_allow_set_link_before_realize,
+                             virtio_crypto_check_cryptodev_is_used,
                              OBJ_PROP_LINK_UNREF_ON_RELEASE, NULL);
 }