diff --git a/hmp-commands.hx b/hmp-commands.hx
index e8c5325..b145612 100644
--- a/hmp-commands.hx
+++ b/hmp-commands.hx
@@ -284,7 +284,7 @@ ETEXI
         .args_type  = "name:s",
         .params     = "tag|id",
         .help       = "restore a VM snapshot from its tag or id",
-        .mhandler.cmd = do_loadvm,
+        .mhandler.cmd = hmp_loadvm,
     },
 
 STEXI
diff --git a/hmp.c b/hmp.c
index 491599d..6ed4c3f 100644
--- a/hmp.c
+++ b/hmp.c
@@ -1012,3 +1012,13 @@ void hmp_savevm(Monitor *mon, const QDict *qdict)
 
     hmp_handle_error(mon, &err);
 }
+
+void hmp_loadvm(Monitor *mon, const QDict *qdict)
+{
+    const char *name = qdict_get_str(qdict, "name");
+    Error *err = NULL;
+
+    qmp_loadvm(name, &err);
+
+    hmp_handle_error(mon, &err);
+}
diff --git a/hmp.h b/hmp.h
index dc6410b..5623ae7 100644
--- a/hmp.h
+++ b/hmp.h
@@ -65,5 +65,6 @@ void hmp_dump_guest_memory(Monitor *mon, const QDict *qdict);
 void hmp_netdev_add(Monitor *mon, const QDict *qdict);
 void hmp_netdev_del(Monitor *mon, const QDict *qdict);
 void hmp_savevm(Monitor *mon, const QDict *qdict);
+void hmp_loadvm(Monitor *mon, const QDict *qdict);
 
 #endif
diff --git a/monitor.c b/monitor.c
index f6107ba..3efbcc8 100644
--- a/monitor.c
+++ b/monitor.c
@@ -2385,18 +2385,6 @@ static int do_closefd(Monitor *mon, const QDict *qdict, QObject **ret_data)
     return -1;
 }
 
-static void do_loadvm(Monitor *mon, const QDict *qdict)
-{
-    int saved_vm_running  = runstate_is_running();
-    const char *name = qdict_get_str(qdict, "name");
-
-    vm_stop(RUN_STATE_RESTORE_VM);
-
-    if (load_vmstate(name) == 0 && saved_vm_running) {
-        vm_start();
-    }
-}
-
 int monitor_get_fd(Monitor *mon, const char *fdname)
 {
     mon_fd_t *monfd;
diff --git a/qapi-schema.json b/qapi-schema.json
index 4db1447..7df6a90 100644
--- a/qapi-schema.json
+++ b/qapi-schema.json
@@ -1889,4 +1889,26 @@
 #
 # Since: 1.2
 ##
-{ 'command': 'savevm', 'data': {'*name': 'str'} }
\ No newline at end of file
+{ 'command': 'savevm', 'data': {'*name': 'str'} }
+
+##
+# @loadvm:
+#
+# Set the whole virtual machine to the snapshot identified by the tag
+# 'tag' or the unique snapshot ID 'id'.
+#
+# @name: tag or id of existing snapshot
+#
+# Returns: Nothing on success
+#          If no block device can accept snapshots, SnapshotNotAccepted
+#          If no snapshot is found, SnapshotNotFound
+#          If snapshot is only disk snapshot, SnapshotInvalid
+#          If there is a writable device not supporting snapshots,
+#            SnapshotNotSupported
+#          If snapshot activate failed, SnapshotActivateFailed
+#          If open a block device for vm state fail, SnapshotOpenFailed
+#          If an error occures while loading vm state, SnapshotLoadFailed
+#
+# Since: 1.2
+##
+{ 'command': 'loadvm', 'data': {'name': 'str'} }
diff --git a/qerror.c b/qerror.c
index 4e6efa1..b9c7352 100644
--- a/qerror.c
+++ b/qerror.c
@@ -309,6 +309,10 @@ static const QErrorStringTable qerror_table[] = {
         .desc      = "Could not start VNC server on %(target)",
     },
     {
+        .error_fmt = QERR_SNAPSHOT_ACTIVATE_FAILED,
+        .desc      = "Error '%(errno)' while activating snapshot '%(name)' on '%(device)'",
+    },
+    {
         .error_fmt = QERR_SNAPSHOT_CREATE_FAILED,
         .desc      = "Error '%(errno)' while creating snapshot on '%(device)'",
     },
@@ -317,10 +321,22 @@ static const QErrorStringTable qerror_table[] = {
         .desc      = "Error '%(errno)' while deleting snapshot on '%(device)'",
     },
     {
+        .error_fmt = QERR_SNAPSHOT_INVALID,
+        .desc      = "Device '%(device)' disk-only snapshot. Revert to it offline using qemu-img.",
+    },
+    {
+        .error_fmt = QERR_SNAPSHOT_LOAD_FAILED,
+        .desc      = "Error '%(errno)' while loading snapshot for '%(device)'",
+    },
+    {
         .error_fmt = QERR_SNAPSHOT_NOT_ACCEPTED,
         .desc      = "No block device can accept snapshots",
     },
     {
+        .error_fmt = QERR_SNAPSHOT_NOT_FOUND,
+        .desc      = "Device '%(device)' does not have the requested snapshot '%(name)'",
+    },
+    {
         .error_fmt = QERR_SNAPSHOT_NOT_SUPPORTED,
         .desc      = "Device '%(device)' is writable but does not support snapshots",
     },
diff --git a/qerror.h b/qerror.h
index bc47f4a..da2abdd 100644
--- a/qerror.h
+++ b/qerror.h
@@ -251,15 +251,27 @@ QError *qobject_to_qerror(const QObject *obj);
 #define QERR_VNC_SERVER_FAILED \
     "{ 'class': 'VNCServerFailed', 'data': { 'target': %s } }"
 
+#define QERR_SNAPSHOT_ACTIVATE_FAILED \
+    "{ 'class': 'SnapshotActivateFailed', 'data': { 'device': %s, 'name': %s, 'errno':%d } }"
+
 #define QERR_SNAPSHOT_CREATE_FAILED \
     "{ 'class': 'SnapshotCreateFailed', 'data': { 'device': %s, 'errno': %d } }"
 
 #define QERR_SNAPSHOT_DELETE_FAILED \
     "{ 'class': 'SnapshotDeleteFailed', 'data': { 'device': %s, 'errno': %d } }"
 
+#define QERR_SNAPSHOT_INVALID \
+    "{ 'class': 'SnapshotInvalid', 'data': { 'device': %s } }"
+
+#define QERR_SNAPSHOT_LOAD_FAILED \
+    "{ 'class': 'SnapshotLoadFailed', 'data': { 'device': %s, 'errno': %d } }"
+
 #define QERR_SNAPSHOT_NOT_ACCEPTED \
     "{ 'class': 'SnapshotNotAccepted', 'data': {} }"
 
+#define QERR_SNAPSHOT_NOT_FOUND \
+    "{ 'class': 'SnapshotNotFound', 'data': { 'device': %s, 'name': %s } }"
+
 #define QERR_SNAPSHOT_NOT_SUPPORTED \
     "{ 'class': 'SnapshotNotSupported', 'data': { 'device': %s } }"
 
diff --git a/qmp-commands.hx b/qmp-commands.hx
index a1c82f7..02550f2 100644
--- a/qmp-commands.hx
+++ b/qmp-commands.hx
@@ -1087,6 +1087,31 @@ Example:
 
 EQMP
     {
+        .name       = "loadvm",
+        .args_type  = "name:s",
+        .params     = "name",
+        .help       = "restore a VM snapshot from its tag or id",
+        .mhandler.cmd_new = qmp_marshal_input_loadvm
+    },
+
+SQMP
+loadvm
+------
+
+Set the whole virtual machine to the snapshot identified by the tag
+'tag' or the unique snapshot ID 'id'.
+
+Arguments:
+
+- "name": tag or id of existing snapshot
+
+Example:
+
+-> { "execute": "loadvm", "arguments": { "name": "my_snapshot" } }
+<- { "return": {} }
+
+EQMP
+    {
         .name       = "qmp_capabilities",
         .args_type  = "",
         .params     = "",
diff --git a/savevm.c b/savevm.c
index 9fc1b53..c113dd4 100644
--- a/savevm.c
+++ b/savevm.c
@@ -2196,27 +2196,30 @@ void qmp_xen_save_devices_state(const char *filename, Error **errp)
     return;
 }
 
-int load_vmstate(const char *name)
+void qmp_loadvm(const char *name, Error **errp)
 {
     BlockDriverState *bs, *bs_vm_state;
     QEMUSnapshotInfo sn;
     QEMUFile *f;
     int ret;
+    int saved_vm_running;
 
     bs_vm_state = bdrv_snapshots();
     if (!bs_vm_state) {
-        error_report("No block device supports snapshots");
-        return -ENOTSUP;
+        error_set(errp, QERR_SNAPSHOT_NOT_ACCEPTED);
+        return;
     }
 
     /* Don't even try to load empty VM states */
     ret = bdrv_snapshot_find(bs_vm_state, &sn, name);
     if (ret < 0) {
-        return ret;
+        error_set(errp, QERR_SNAPSHOT_NOT_FOUND,
+                  bdrv_get_device_name(bs_vm_state), name);
+        return;
     } else if (sn.vm_state_size == 0) {
-        error_report("This is a disk-only snapshot. Revert to it offline "
-            "using qemu-img.");
-        return -EINVAL;
+        error_set(errp, QERR_SNAPSHOT_INVALID,
+                  bdrv_get_device_name(bs_vm_state));
+        return;
     }
 
     /* Verify if there is any device that doesn't support snapshots and is
@@ -2229,19 +2232,22 @@ int load_vmstate(const char *name)
         }
 
         if (!bdrv_can_snapshot(bs)) {
-            error_report("Device '%s' is writable but does not support snapshots.",
-                               bdrv_get_device_name(bs));
-            return -ENOTSUP;
+            error_set(errp, QERR_SNAPSHOT_NOT_SUPPORTED,
+                      bdrv_get_device_name(bs));
+            return;
         }
 
         ret = bdrv_snapshot_find(bs, &sn, name);
         if (ret < 0) {
-            error_report("Device '%s' does not have the requested snapshot '%s'",
-                           bdrv_get_device_name(bs), name);
-            return ret;
+            error_set(errp, QERR_SNAPSHOT_NOT_FOUND,
+                      bdrv_get_device_name(bs), name);
+            return;
         }
     }
 
+    saved_vm_running  = runstate_is_running();
+    vm_stop(RUN_STATE_RESTORE_VM);
+
     /* Flush all IO requests so they don't interfere with the new state.  */
     bdrv_drain_all();
 
@@ -2250,9 +2256,9 @@ int load_vmstate(const char *name)
         if (bdrv_can_snapshot(bs)) {
             ret = bdrv_snapshot_goto(bs, name);
             if (ret < 0) {
-                error_report("Error %d while activating snapshot '%s' on '%s'",
-                             ret, name, bdrv_get_device_name(bs));
-                return ret;
+                error_set(errp, QERR_SNAPSHOT_ACTIVATE_FAILED,
+                          bdrv_get_device_name(bs), name, ret);
+                return;
             }
         }
     }
@@ -2260,8 +2266,9 @@ int load_vmstate(const char *name)
     /* restore the VM state */
     f = qemu_fopen_bdrv(bs_vm_state, 0);
     if (!f) {
-        error_report("Could not open VM state file");
-        return -EINVAL;
+        error_set(errp, QERR_SNAPSHOT_OPEN_FAILED,
+                  bdrv_get_device_name(bs_vm_state));
+        return;
     }
 
     qemu_system_reset(VMRESET_SILENT);
@@ -2269,11 +2276,14 @@ int load_vmstate(const char *name)
 
     qemu_fclose(f);
     if (ret < 0) {
-        error_report("Error %d while loading VM state", ret);
-        return ret;
+        error_set(errp, QERR_SNAPSHOT_LOAD_FAILED,
+                  bdrv_get_device_name(bs_vm_state), ret);
+        return;
     }
 
-    return 0;
+    if (!error_is_set(errp) && saved_vm_running) {
+        vm_start();
+    }
 }
 
 void do_delvm(Monitor *mon, const QDict *qdict)
diff --git a/sysemu.h b/sysemu.h
index 95d1207..8e65651 100644
--- a/sysemu.h
+++ b/sysemu.h
@@ -69,7 +69,6 @@ void qemu_remove_exit_notifier(Notifier *notify);
 
 void qemu_add_machine_init_done_notifier(Notifier *notify);
 
-int load_vmstate(const char *name);
 void do_delvm(Monitor *mon, const QDict *qdict);
 void do_info_snapshots(Monitor *mon);
 
diff --git a/vl.c b/vl.c
index 1329c30..28b982d 100644
--- a/vl.c
+++ b/vl.c
@@ -3630,8 +3630,13 @@ int main(int argc, char **argv, char **envp)
 
     qemu_system_reset(VMRESET_SILENT);
     if (loadvm) {
-        if (load_vmstate(loadvm) < 0) {
+        Error *err = NULL;
+
+        qmp_loadvm(loadvm, &err);
+
+        if (error_is_set(&err)) {
             autostart = 0;
+            error_report("%s\n", error_get_pretty(err));
         }
     }
 
