diff --git a/net/tap.c b/net/tap.c
index c7d8e1a3be..5af157164e 100644
--- a/net/tap.c
+++ b/net/tap.c
@@ -326,11 +326,9 @@ static void tap_exit_notify(Notifier *notifier, void *data)
     TAPState *s = container_of(notifier, TAPState, exit);
     Error *err = NULL;
 
-    if (s->down_script[0]) {
-        launch_script(s->down_script, s->down_script_arg, s->fd, &err);
-        if (err) {
-            error_report_err(err);
-        }
+    launch_script(s->down_script, s->down_script_arg, s->fd, &err);
+    if (err) {
+        error_report_err(err);
     }
 }
 
@@ -346,8 +344,11 @@ static void tap_cleanup(NetClientState *nc)
 
     qemu_purge_queued_packets(nc);
 
-    tap_exit_notify(&s->exit, NULL);
-    qemu_remove_exit_notifier(&s->exit);
+    if (s->exit.notify) {
+        tap_exit_notify(&s->exit, NULL);
+        qemu_remove_exit_notifier(&s->exit);
+        s->exit.notify = NULL;
+    }
 
     tap_read_poll(s, false);
     tap_write_poll(s, false);
@@ -443,9 +444,6 @@ static TAPState *net_tap_fd_init(NetClientState *peer,
     tap_read_poll(s, true);
     s->vhost_net = NULL;
 
-    s->exit.notify = tap_exit_notify;
-    qemu_add_exit_notifier(&s->exit);
-
     return s;
 }
 
@@ -733,6 +731,8 @@ static void net_init_tap_one(const NetdevTapOptions *tap, NetClientState *peer,
             snprintf(s->down_script, sizeof(s->down_script), "%s", downscript);
             snprintf(s->down_script_arg, sizeof(s->down_script_arg),
                      "%s", ifname);
+            s->exit.notify = tap_exit_notify;
+            qemu_add_exit_notifier(&s->exit);
         }
     }