diff --git a/block.c b/block.c
index 6e07f45..819eb4e 100644
--- a/block.c
+++ b/block.c
@@ -889,7 +889,9 @@
     }
 
     bs->open_flags &= ~BDRV_O_NO_BACKING;
-    if (bs->backing_file[0] == '\0' && qdict_size(options) == 0) {
+    if (qdict_haskey(options, "file.filename")) {
+        backing_filename[0] = '\0';
+    } else if (bs->backing_file[0] == '\0' && qdict_size(options) == 0) {
         QDECREF(options);
         return 0;
     }