His family claimed descent from Marquis Kang of Anzhong, Liu Dan (劉丹) from the Western Han dynasty.
When Liu Qiao was young, he served as a Gentleman Cadet of the Imperial Library before becoming an Army Advisor to the General Who Establishes Might, Wang Rong.
Wang Rong ordered Liu Qiao and another Army Advisor, Luo Shang, to cross the Yangzi River and capture the key city of Wuchang (武昌; present-day Ezhou, Hubei).
[2] In April 291, Empress Jia, wife and regent of the developmentally disabled Emperor Hui of Jin, launched a coup against her co-regent, Yang Jun.
Liu Qiao sided with and helped the empress, and after Yang Jun's death, he was awarded the title of Marquis of Yangzhong and appointed as Assistant Director of the Right in the Department of State Affairs.
"[4] Sima Jiong had another trusted confidant named Dong Ai (董艾), who held a significant amount of power in the imperial court.
Annoyed by Liu Qiao's opposition, Dong Ai asked the Assistant Director of the Right in the Department of State Affairs, Gou Xi, to remove him from his post.
In 304, Zhang Fang, a general of the Prince of Hejian, Sima Yong, forcibly moved Emperor Hui from Luoyang to Chang’an.
He also sent his eldest son, Liu You (劉祐), to block Sima Yue's army at the Ling Ramparts (靈壁) in Xiao County.
Sima Yong also ordered his generals Zhang Fang and Lü Lang (呂朗) to march towards Xuchang while the Prince of Chengdu, Sima Ying and Shi Chao camped at Heqiao (河穚; southwest of present-day Mengzhou, Henan) to act as reserves for Liu Qiao.
[9] Liu Qiao was promoted to General Who Guards The East and Credential Holder, but although Sima Yong was heavily relying on him to win the war, the prince refused to listen to any of his suggestions.
Not long after Xuchang fell, Sima Xiao was able to get the Inspector of Jizhou, Wen Xian (溫羨), to relinquish the office to him.
The defeats in quick succession caused Liu Qiao's soldiers to scatter, and he was forced to flee to Pingshi County (平氏; in present-day Nanyang, Henan) with only 500 riders.
Despite Liu Qiao's betrayal, Yue included him in a general amnesty and assigned him as Libationer-Advisor of the Army to the Grand Tutor.