diff --git a/crypto/cipherpriv.h b/crypto/cipherpriv.h
index 437b109b5e..396527857d 100644
--- a/crypto/cipherpriv.h
+++ b/crypto/cipherpriv.h
@@ -47,8 +47,6 @@ qcrypto_afalg_cipher_ctx_new(QCryptoCipherAlgorithm alg,
                              const uint8_t *key,
                              size_t nkey, Error **errp);
 
-extern const struct QCryptoCipherDriver qcrypto_cipher_afalg_driver;
-
 #endif
 
 #endif
diff --git a/crypto/cipher-afalg.c b/crypto/cipher-afalg.c
index 86e5249bd6..052355a8a9 100644
--- a/crypto/cipher-afalg.c
+++ b/crypto/cipher-afalg.c
@@ -58,6 +58,8 @@ qcrypto_afalg_cipher_format_name(QCryptoCipherAlgorithm alg,
     return name;
 }
 
+static const struct QCryptoCipherDriver qcrypto_cipher_afalg_driver;
+
 QCryptoCipher *
 qcrypto_afalg_cipher_ctx_new(QCryptoCipherAlgorithm alg,
                              QCryptoCipherMode mode,
@@ -109,6 +111,7 @@ qcrypto_afalg_cipher_ctx_new(QCryptoCipherAlgorithm alg,
     }
     afalg->cmsg = CMSG_FIRSTHDR(afalg->msg);
 
+    afalg->base.driver = &qcrypto_cipher_afalg_driver;
     return &afalg->base;
 }
 
@@ -222,7 +225,7 @@ static void qcrypto_afalg_comm_ctx_free(QCryptoCipher *cipher)
     qcrypto_afalg_comm_free(afalg);
 }
 
-const struct QCryptoCipherDriver qcrypto_cipher_afalg_driver = {
+static const struct QCryptoCipherDriver qcrypto_cipher_afalg_driver = {
     .cipher_encrypt = qcrypto_afalg_cipher_encrypt,
     .cipher_decrypt = qcrypto_afalg_cipher_decrypt,
     .cipher_setiv = qcrypto_afalg_cipher_setiv,
diff --git a/crypto/cipher-builtin.inc.c b/crypto/cipher-builtin.inc.c
index 6a03e23040..1444139f36 100644
--- a/crypto/cipher-builtin.inc.c
+++ b/crypto/cipher-builtin.inc.c
@@ -22,6 +22,8 @@
 #include "crypto/desrfb.h"
 #include "crypto/xts.h"
 
+static const struct QCryptoCipherDriver qcrypto_cipher_lib_driver;
+
 typedef struct QCryptoCipherBuiltinAESContext QCryptoCipherBuiltinAESContext;
 struct QCryptoCipherBuiltinAESContext {
     AES_KEY enc;
@@ -292,6 +294,7 @@ qcrypto_cipher_init_aes(QCryptoCipherMode mode,
     ctxt->encrypt = qcrypto_cipher_encrypt_aes;
     ctxt->decrypt = qcrypto_cipher_decrypt_aes;
 
+    ctxt->base.driver = &qcrypto_cipher_lib_driver;
     return &ctxt->base;
 
  error:
@@ -396,6 +399,7 @@ qcrypto_cipher_init_des_rfb(QCryptoCipherMode mode,
     ctxt->encrypt = qcrypto_cipher_encrypt_des_rfb;
     ctxt->decrypt = qcrypto_cipher_decrypt_des_rfb;
 
+    ctxt->base.driver = &qcrypto_cipher_lib_driver;
     return &ctxt->base;
 }
 
diff --git a/crypto/cipher-gcrypt.inc.c b/crypto/cipher-gcrypt.inc.c
index 3b3c85e265..7a1fbc9745 100644
--- a/crypto/cipher-gcrypt.inc.c
+++ b/crypto/cipher-gcrypt.inc.c
@@ -24,6 +24,7 @@
 
 #include <gcrypt.h>
 
+static const struct QCryptoCipherDriver qcrypto_cipher_lib_driver;
 
 bool qcrypto_cipher_supports(QCryptoCipherAlgorithm alg,
                              QCryptoCipherMode mode)
@@ -258,6 +259,7 @@ static QCryptoCipher *qcrypto_cipher_ctx_new(QCryptoCipherAlgorithm alg,
     }
 #endif
 
+    ctx->base.driver = &qcrypto_cipher_lib_driver;
     return &ctx->base;
 
  error:
diff --git a/crypto/cipher-nettle.inc.c b/crypto/cipher-nettle.inc.c
index d8371d1f37..36d57ef430 100644
--- a/crypto/cipher-nettle.inc.c
+++ b/crypto/cipher-nettle.inc.c
@@ -34,6 +34,8 @@
 #include <nettle/xts.h>
 #endif
 
+static const struct QCryptoCipherDriver qcrypto_cipher_lib_driver;
+
 typedef void (*QCryptoCipherNettleFuncWrapper)(const void *ctx,
                                                size_t length,
                                                uint8_t *dst,
@@ -587,6 +589,7 @@ static QCryptoCipher *qcrypto_cipher_ctx_new(QCryptoCipherAlgorithm alg,
 
     ctx->iv = g_new0(uint8_t, ctx->blocksize);
 
+    ctx->base.driver = &qcrypto_cipher_lib_driver;
     return &ctx->base;
 
  error:
diff --git a/crypto/cipher.c b/crypto/cipher.c
index 6ea75bb764..6e25f68f5c 100644
--- a/crypto/cipher.c
+++ b/crypto/cipher.c
@@ -164,13 +164,9 @@ QCryptoCipher *qcrypto_cipher_new(QCryptoCipherAlgorithm alg,
                                   Error **errp)
 {
     QCryptoCipher *cipher = NULL;
-    const QCryptoCipherDriver *drv = NULL;
 
 #ifdef CONFIG_AF_ALG
     cipher = qcrypto_afalg_cipher_ctx_new(alg, mode, key, nkey, NULL);
-    if (cipher) {
-        drv = &qcrypto_cipher_afalg_driver;
-    }
 #endif
 
     if (!cipher) {
@@ -178,13 +174,10 @@ QCryptoCipher *qcrypto_cipher_new(QCryptoCipherAlgorithm alg,
         if (!cipher) {
             return NULL;
         }
-
-        drv = &qcrypto_cipher_lib_driver;
     }
 
     cipher->alg = alg;
     cipher->mode = mode;
-    cipher->driver = drv;
 
     return cipher;
 }
