diff --git a/hw/vfio/container.c b/hw/vfio/container.c
index 3f2032d..45123ac 100644
--- a/hw/vfio/container.c
+++ b/hw/vfio/container.c
@@ -639,7 +639,6 @@
 
     vfio_kvm_device_add_group(group);
 
-    QLIST_INIT(&container->group_list);
     vfio_address_space_insert(space, bcontainer);
 
     group->container = container;
@@ -1183,6 +1182,13 @@
     return l;
 }
 
+static void vfio_iommu_legacy_instance_init(Object *obj)
+{
+    VFIOContainer *container = VFIO_IOMMU_LEGACY(obj);
+
+    QLIST_INIT(&container->group_list);
+}
+
 static void hiod_legacy_vfio_class_init(ObjectClass *oc, void *data)
 {
     HostIOMMUDeviceClass *hioc = HOST_IOMMU_DEVICE_CLASS(oc);
@@ -1196,6 +1202,7 @@
     {
         .name = TYPE_VFIO_IOMMU_LEGACY,
         .parent = TYPE_VFIO_IOMMU,
+        .instance_init = vfio_iommu_legacy_instance_init,
         .instance_size = sizeof(VFIOContainer),
         .class_init = vfio_iommu_legacy_class_init,
     }, {