diff --git a/migration/vmstate.c b/migration/vmstate.c
index e29a8c3f49..05badef42f 100644
--- a/migration/vmstate.c
+++ b/migration/vmstate.c
@@ -556,7 +556,8 @@ static bool vmstate_save_vmsd_v(QEMUFile *f, const VMStateDescription *vmsd,
                 void *curr_elem = first_elem + size * i;
                 const VMStateField *inner_field;
                 bool is_null;
-                int max_elems = n_elems - i;
+                /* maximum number of elements to compress in the JSON blob */
+                int max_elems = vmsd_can_compress(field) ? (n_elems - i) : 1;
 
                 old_offset = qemu_file_transferred(f);
                 if (field->flags & VMS_ARRAY_OF_POINTER) {
@@ -587,7 +588,8 @@ static bool vmstate_save_vmsd_v(QEMUFile *f, const VMStateDescription *vmsd,
                  * vs. nullptr). Search ahead for the next null/non-null element
                  * and start a new compressed array if found.
                  */
-                if (vmdesc && (field->flags & VMS_ARRAY_OF_POINTER) &&
+                if (vmdesc && max_elems > 1 &&
+                    (field->flags & VMS_ARRAY_OF_POINTER) &&
                     is_null != is_prev_null) {
 
                     is_prev_null = is_null;
@@ -626,7 +628,7 @@ static bool vmstate_save_vmsd_v(QEMUFile *f, const VMStateDescription *vmsd,
                 }
 
                 /* Compressed arrays only care about the first element */
-                if (vmdesc_loop && vmsd_can_compress(field)) {
+                if (vmdesc_loop && max_elems > 1) {
                     vmdesc_loop = NULL;
                 }
             }