diff --git a/monitor.c b/monitor.c
index a8fd552..76cb187 100644
--- a/monitor.c
+++ b/monitor.c
@@ -1717,10 +1717,11 @@ static void do_info_balloon(Monitor *mon, QObject **ret_data)
 
     actual = qemu_balloon_status();
     if (kvm_enabled() && !kvm_has_sync_mmu())
-        monitor_printf(mon, "Using KVM without synchronous MMU, "
-                       "ballooning disabled\n");
+        qemu_error_new(QERR_SERVICE_UNAVAILABLE,
+                      "Using KVM without synchronous MMU, ballooning disabled");
     else if (actual == 0)
-        monitor_printf(mon, "Ballooning not activated in VM\n");
+        qemu_error_new(QERR_SERVICE_UNAVAILABLE,
+                       "Ballooning not activated in VM");
     else
         *ret_data = QOBJECT(qint_from_int((int)(actual >> 20)));
 }