diff --git a/include/exec/memory.h b/include/exec/memory.h
index ef23d65afc..c99842d2fc 100644
--- a/include/exec/memory.h
+++ b/include/exec/memory.h
@@ -2671,9 +2671,6 @@ struct MemoryRegionCache {
     bool is_write;
 };
 
-#define MEMORY_REGION_CACHE_INVALID ((MemoryRegionCache) { .mrs.mr = NULL })
-
-
 /* address_space_ld*_cached: load from a cached #MemoryRegion
  * address_space_st*_cached: store into a cached #MemoryRegion
  *
@@ -2762,6 +2759,19 @@ int64_t address_space_cache_init(MemoryRegionCache *cache,
                                  hwaddr len,
                                  bool is_write);
 
+/**
+ * address_space_cache_init_empty: Initialize empty #MemoryRegionCache
+ *
+ * @cache: The #MemoryRegionCache to operate on.
+ *
+ * Initializes #MemoryRegionCache structure without memory region attached.
+ * Cache initialized this way can only be safely destroyed, but not used.
+ */
+static inline void address_space_cache_init_empty(MemoryRegionCache *cache)
+{
+    cache->mrs.mr = NULL;
+}
+
 /**
  * address_space_cache_invalidate: complete a write to a #MemoryRegionCache
  *
diff --git a/hw/virtio/virtio.c b/hw/virtio/virtio.c
index 4577f3f5b3..d3a22e3d36 100644
--- a/hw/virtio/virtio.c
+++ b/hw/virtio/virtio.c
@@ -1071,10 +1071,12 @@ static void virtqueue_split_get_avail_bytes(VirtQueue *vq,
     VirtIODevice *vdev = vq->vdev;
     unsigned int idx;
     unsigned int total_bufs, in_total, out_total;
-    MemoryRegionCache indirect_desc_cache = MEMORY_REGION_CACHE_INVALID;
+    MemoryRegionCache indirect_desc_cache;
     int64_t len = 0;
     int rc;
 
+    address_space_cache_init_empty(&indirect_desc_cache);
+
     idx = vq->last_avail_idx;
     total_bufs = in_total = out_total = 0;
 
@@ -1207,12 +1209,14 @@ static void virtqueue_packed_get_avail_bytes(VirtQueue *vq,
     VirtIODevice *vdev = vq->vdev;
     unsigned int idx;
     unsigned int total_bufs, in_total, out_total;
+    MemoryRegionCache indirect_desc_cache;
     MemoryRegionCache *desc_cache;
-    MemoryRegionCache indirect_desc_cache = MEMORY_REGION_CACHE_INVALID;
     int64_t len = 0;
     VRingPackedDesc desc;
     bool wrap_counter;
 
+    address_space_cache_init_empty(&indirect_desc_cache);
+
     idx = vq->last_avail_idx;
     wrap_counter = vq->last_avail_wrap_counter;
     total_bufs = in_total = out_total = 0;
@@ -1487,7 +1491,7 @@ static void *virtqueue_split_pop(VirtQueue *vq, size_t sz)
 {
     unsigned int i, head, max;
     VRingMemoryRegionCaches *caches;
-    MemoryRegionCache indirect_desc_cache = MEMORY_REGION_CACHE_INVALID;
+    MemoryRegionCache indirect_desc_cache;
     MemoryRegionCache *desc_cache;
     int64_t len;
     VirtIODevice *vdev = vq->vdev;
@@ -1498,6 +1502,8 @@ static void *virtqueue_split_pop(VirtQueue *vq, size_t sz)
     VRingDesc desc;
     int rc;
 
+    address_space_cache_init_empty(&indirect_desc_cache);
+
     RCU_READ_LOCK_GUARD();
     if (virtio_queue_empty_rcu(vq)) {
         goto done;
@@ -1624,7 +1630,7 @@ static void *virtqueue_packed_pop(VirtQueue *vq, size_t sz)
 {
     unsigned int i, max;
     VRingMemoryRegionCaches *caches;
-    MemoryRegionCache indirect_desc_cache = MEMORY_REGION_CACHE_INVALID;
+    MemoryRegionCache indirect_desc_cache;
     MemoryRegionCache *desc_cache;
     int64_t len;
     VirtIODevice *vdev = vq->vdev;
@@ -1636,6 +1642,8 @@ static void *virtqueue_packed_pop(VirtQueue *vq, size_t sz)
     uint16_t id;
     int rc;
 
+    address_space_cache_init_empty(&indirect_desc_cache);
+
     RCU_READ_LOCK_GUARD();
     if (virtio_queue_packed_empty_rcu(vq)) {
         goto done;
@@ -3970,13 +3978,15 @@ VirtioQueueElement *qmp_x_query_virtio_queue_element(const char *path,
     } else {
         unsigned int head, i, max;
         VRingMemoryRegionCaches *caches;
-        MemoryRegionCache indirect_desc_cache = MEMORY_REGION_CACHE_INVALID;
+        MemoryRegionCache indirect_desc_cache;
         MemoryRegionCache *desc_cache;
         VRingDesc desc;
         VirtioRingDescList *list = NULL;
         VirtioRingDescList *node;
         int rc; int ndescs;
 
+        address_space_cache_init_empty(&indirect_desc_cache);
+
         RCU_READ_LOCK_GUARD();
 
         max = vq->vring.num;
