diff --git a/util/qemu-timer.c b/util/qemu-timer.c
index a670a57881..6a0de33dd2 100644
--- a/util/qemu-timer.c
+++ b/util/qemu-timer.c
@@ -261,6 +261,9 @@ int64_t qemu_clock_deadline_ns_all(QEMUClockType type, int attr_mask)
     }
 
     QLIST_FOREACH(timer_list, &clock->timerlists, list) {
+        if (!qatomic_read(&timer_list->active_timers)) {
+            continue;
+        }
         qemu_mutex_lock(&timer_list->active_timers_lock);
         ts = timer_list->active_timers;
         /* Skip all external timers */