diff --git a/tools/libxl/libxl.c b/tools/libxl/libxl.c
index 5cdc09e..d35fc33 100644
--- a/tools/libxl/libxl.c
+++ b/tools/libxl/libxl.c
@@ -3292,7 +3292,7 @@ out:
 /******************************************************************************/
 
 int libxl__device_nic_setdefault(libxl__gc *gc, libxl_device_nic *nic,
-                                 uint32_t domid, libxl_domain_build_info *info)
+                                 uint32_t domid)
 {
     int rc;
 
@@ -3330,21 +3330,11 @@ int libxl__device_nic_setdefault(libxl__gc *gc, libxl_device_nic *nic,
     switch (libxl__domain_type(gc, domid)) {
     case LIBXL_DOMAIN_TYPE_HVM:
         if (!nic->nictype) {
-            if (info != NULL) {
-                /* Path taken at creation time. */
-                if (info->device_model_version ==
-                    LIBXL_DEVICE_MODEL_VERSION_NONE)
-                    nic->nictype = LIBXL_NIC_TYPE_VIF;
-                else
-                    nic->nictype = LIBXL_NIC_TYPE_VIF_IOEMU;
-            } else {
-                /* Path taken when hot-adding a nic. */
-                if (libxl__device_model_version_running(gc, domid) ==
-                    LIBXL_DEVICE_MODEL_VERSION_NONE)
-                    nic->nictype = LIBXL_NIC_TYPE_VIF;
-                else
-                    nic->nictype = LIBXL_NIC_TYPE_VIF_IOEMU;
-            }
+            if (libxl__device_model_version_running(gc, domid) ==
+                LIBXL_DEVICE_MODEL_VERSION_NONE)
+                nic->nictype = LIBXL_NIC_TYPE_VIF;
+            else
+                nic->nictype = LIBXL_NIC_TYPE_VIF_IOEMU;
         }
         break;
     case LIBXL_DOMAIN_TYPE_PV:
@@ -3394,7 +3384,7 @@ void libxl__device_nic_add(libxl__egc *egc, uint32_t domid,
     libxl_device_nic_init(&nic_saved);
     libxl_device_nic_copy(CTX, &nic_saved, nic);
 
-    rc = libxl__device_nic_setdefault(gc, nic, domid, NULL);
+    rc = libxl__device_nic_setdefault(gc, nic, domid);
     if (rc) goto out;
 
     front = flexarray_make(gc, 16, 1);
diff --git a/tools/libxl/libxl_create.c b/tools/libxl/libxl_create.c
index 4b02de9..24f168b 100644
--- a/tools/libxl/libxl_create.c
+++ b/tools/libxl/libxl_create.c
@@ -916,6 +916,12 @@ static void initiate_domain_create(libxl__egc *egc,
         goto error_out;
     }
 
+    /*
+     * Set the dm version quite early so that libxl doesn't have to pass the
+     * build info around just to know if the domain has a device model or not.
+     */
+    store_libxl_entry(gc, domid, &d_config->b_info);
+
     for (i = 0; i < d_config->num_disks; i++) {
         ret = libxl__device_disk_setdefault(gc, &d_config->disks[i]);
         if (ret) {
@@ -940,8 +946,7 @@ static void initiate_domain_create(libxl__egc *egc,
          * called libxl_device_nic_add when domcreate_launch_dm gets called,
          * but qemu needs the nic information to be complete.
          */
-        ret = libxl__device_nic_setdefault(gc, &d_config->nics[i], domid,
-                                           &d_config->b_info);
+        ret = libxl__device_nic_setdefault(gc, &d_config->nics[i], domid);
         if (ret) {
             LOG(ERROR, "Unable to set nic defaults for nic %d", i);
             goto error_out;
diff --git a/tools/libxl/libxl_dm.c b/tools/libxl/libxl_dm.c
index eac5501..a12c90d 100644
--- a/tools/libxl/libxl_dm.c
+++ b/tools/libxl/libxl_dm.c
@@ -1810,8 +1810,7 @@ static void spawn_stub_launch_dm(libxl__egc *egc,
          * called libxl_device_nic_add at this point, but qemu needs
          * the nic information to be complete.
          */
-        ret = libxl__device_nic_setdefault(gc, &dm_config->nics[i], dm_domid,
-                                           &dm_config->b_info);
+        ret = libxl__device_nic_setdefault(gc, &dm_config->nics[i], dm_domid);
         if (ret)
             goto out;
     }
diff --git a/tools/libxl/libxl_internal.h b/tools/libxl/libxl_internal.h
index 653c152..55896f8 100644
--- a/tools/libxl/libxl_internal.h
+++ b/tools/libxl/libxl_internal.h
@@ -1206,8 +1206,7 @@ _hidden int libxl__domain_build_info_setdefault(libxl__gc *gc,
 _hidden int libxl__device_disk_setdefault(libxl__gc *gc,
                                           libxl_device_disk *disk);
 _hidden int libxl__device_nic_setdefault(libxl__gc *gc, libxl_device_nic *nic,
-                                         uint32_t domid,
-                                         libxl_domain_build_info *info);
+                                         uint32_t domid);
 _hidden int libxl__device_vtpm_setdefault(libxl__gc *gc, libxl_device_vtpm *vtpm);
 _hidden int libxl__device_vfb_setdefault(libxl__gc *gc, libxl_device_vfb *vfb);
 _hidden int libxl__device_vkb_setdefault(libxl__gc *gc, libxl_device_vkb *vkb);
