diff --git a/backends/igvm-cfg.c b/backends/igvm-cfg.c
index e0df3eaa8e..4014062e0f 100644
--- a/backends/igvm-cfg.c
+++ b/backends/igvm-cfg.c
@@ -53,6 +53,13 @@ static void igvm_reset_exit(Object *obj, ResetType type)
     trace_igvm_reset_exit(type);
 }
 
+static void igvm_complete(UserCreatable *uc, Error **errp)
+{
+    IgvmCfg *igvm = IGVM_CFG(uc);
+
+    igvm->file = qigvm_file_init(igvm->filename, errp);
+}
+
 OBJECT_DEFINE_TYPE_WITH_INTERFACES(IgvmCfg, igvm_cfg, IGVM_CFG, OBJECT,
                                    { TYPE_USER_CREATABLE },
                                    { TYPE_RESETTABLE_INTERFACE },
@@ -62,6 +69,7 @@ static void igvm_cfg_class_init(ObjectClass *oc, const void *data)
 {
     IgvmCfgClass *igvmc = IGVM_CFG_CLASS(oc);
     ResettableClass *rc = RESETTABLE_CLASS(oc);
+    UserCreatableClass *uc = USER_CREATABLE_CLASS(oc);
 
     object_class_property_add_str(oc, "file", get_igvm, set_igvm);
     object_class_property_set_description(oc, "file",
@@ -73,14 +81,24 @@ static void igvm_cfg_class_init(ObjectClass *oc, const void *data)
     rc->phases.enter = igvm_reset_enter;
     rc->phases.hold = igvm_reset_hold;
     rc->phases.exit = igvm_reset_exit;
+
+    uc->complete = igvm_complete;
 }
 
 static void igvm_cfg_init(Object *obj)
 {
+    IgvmCfg *igvm = IGVM_CFG(obj);
+
+    igvm->file = -1;
     qemu_register_resettable(obj);
 }
 
 static void igvm_cfg_finalize(Object *obj)
 {
+    IgvmCfg *igvm = IGVM_CFG(obj);
+
     qemu_unregister_resettable(obj);
+    if (igvm->file >= 0) {
+        igvm_free(igvm->file);
+    }
 }
diff --git a/backends/igvm.c b/backends/igvm.c
index fbb8300b6d..a01e01a12a 100644
--- a/backends/igvm.c
+++ b/backends/igvm.c
@@ -869,7 +869,7 @@ static int qigvm_handle_policy(QIgvm *ctx, Error **errp)
     return 0;
 }
 
-static IgvmHandle qigvm_file_init(char *filename, Error **errp)
+IgvmHandle qigvm_file_init(char *filename, Error **errp)
 {
     IgvmHandle igvm;
     g_autofree uint8_t *buf = NULL;
@@ -898,10 +898,11 @@ int qigvm_process_file(IgvmCfg *cfg, ConfidentialGuestSupport *cgs,
     QIgvm ctx;
 
     memset(&ctx, 0, sizeof(ctx));
-    ctx.file = qigvm_file_init(cfg->filename, errp);
-    if (ctx.file < 0) {
+    if (cfg->file < 0) {
+        error_setg(errp, "No IGVM file loaded.");
         return -1;
     }
+    ctx.file = cfg->file;
 
     /*
      * The ConfidentialGuestSupport object is optional and allows a confidential
@@ -992,7 +993,5 @@ cleanup_parameters:
     g_free(ctx.id_auth);
 
 cleanup:
-    igvm_free(ctx.file);
-
     return retval;
 }
diff --git a/include/system/igvm-internal.h b/include/system/igvm-internal.h
index ac9e5683cc..171cec8d0f 100644
--- a/include/system/igvm-internal.h
+++ b/include/system/igvm-internal.h
@@ -13,6 +13,8 @@
 #include "qom/object.h"
 #include "hw/core/resettable.h"
 
+#include <igvm/igvm.h>
+
 struct IgvmCfg {
     ObjectClass parent_class;
 
@@ -22,7 +24,10 @@ struct IgvmCfg {
      *           format.
      */
     char *filename;
+    IgvmHandle file;
     ResettableState reset_state;
 };
 
+IgvmHandle qigvm_file_init(char *filename, Error **errp);
+
 #endif