diff --git a/tpm.c b/tpm.c
index 3b8c7ed3b6..3122227156 100644
--- a/tpm.c
+++ b/tpm.c
@@ -172,7 +172,6 @@ int tpm_init(void)
         return -1;
     }
 
-    atexit(tpm_cleanup);
     return 0;
 }
 
diff --git a/vl.c b/vl.c
index d7c349233f..0723835bbf 100644
--- a/vl.c
+++ b/vl.c
@@ -4905,6 +4905,7 @@ int main(int argc, char **argv, char **envp)
     res_free();
 
     /* vhost-user must be cleaned up before chardevs.  */
+    tpm_cleanup();
     net_cleanup();
     audio_cleanup();
     monitor_cleanup();