diff --git a/hw/char/ipack.c b/hw/char/ipack.c
index f890471..a902fe4 100644
--- a/hw/char/ipack.c
+++ b/hw/char/ipack.c
@@ -33,37 +33,28 @@ void ipack_bus_new_inplace(IPackBus *bus, DeviceState *parent,
     bus->set_irq = handler;
 }
 
-static int ipack_device_dev_init(DeviceState *qdev)
+static void ipack_device_realize(DeviceState *dev, Error **errp)
 {
-    IPackBus *bus = IPACK_BUS(qdev_get_parent_bus(qdev));
-    IPackDevice *dev = IPACK_DEVICE(qdev);
-    IPackDeviceClass *k = IPACK_DEVICE_GET_CLASS(dev);
+    IPackDevice *idev = IPACK_DEVICE(dev);
+    IPackBus *bus = IPACK_BUS(qdev_get_parent_bus(dev));
 
-    if (dev->slot < 0) {
-        dev->slot = bus->free_slot;
+    if (idev->slot < 0) {
+        idev->slot = bus->free_slot;
     }
-    if (dev->slot >= bus->n_slots) {
-        return -1;
+    if (idev->slot >= bus->n_slots) {
+        error_setg(errp, "Only %" PRIu8 " slots available.", bus->n_slots);
+        return;
     }
-    bus->free_slot = dev->slot + 1;
+    bus->free_slot = idev->slot + 1;
 
-    dev->irq = qemu_allocate_irqs(bus->set_irq, dev, 2);
-
-    return k->init(dev);
+    idev->irq = qemu_allocate_irqs(bus->set_irq, idev, 2);
 }
 
-static int ipack_device_dev_exit(DeviceState *qdev)
+static void ipack_device_unrealize(DeviceState *dev, Error **errp)
 {
-    IPackDevice *dev = IPACK_DEVICE(qdev);
-    IPackDeviceClass *k = IPACK_DEVICE_GET_CLASS(dev);
-
-    if (k->exit) {
-        k->exit(dev);
-    }
+    IPackDevice *idev = IPACK_DEVICE(dev);
 
-    qemu_free_irqs(dev->irq);
-
-    return 0;
+    qemu_free_irqs(idev->irq);
 }
 
 static Property ipack_device_props[] = {
@@ -74,10 +65,11 @@ static Property ipack_device_props[] = {
 static void ipack_device_class_init(ObjectClass *klass, void *data)
 {
     DeviceClass *k = DEVICE_CLASS(klass);
+
     set_bit(DEVICE_CATEGORY_INPUT, k->categories);
     k->bus_type = TYPE_IPACK_BUS;
-    k->init = ipack_device_dev_init;
-    k->exit = ipack_device_dev_exit;
+    k->realize = ipack_device_realize;
+    k->unrealize = ipack_device_unrealize;
     k->props = ipack_device_props;
 }
 
diff --git a/hw/char/ipack.h b/hw/char/ipack.h
index f2b7a12..4286fc0 100644
--- a/hw/char/ipack.h
+++ b/hw/char/ipack.h
@@ -38,10 +38,9 @@ typedef struct IPackDeviceClass IPackDeviceClass;
      OBJECT_GET_CLASS(IPackDeviceClass, (obj), TYPE_IPACK_DEVICE)
 
 struct IPackDeviceClass {
+    /*< private >*/
     DeviceClass parent_class;
-
-    int (*init)(IPackDevice *dev);
-    int (*exit)(IPackDevice *dev);
+    /*< public >*/
 
     uint16_t (*io_read)(IPackDevice *dev, uint8_t addr);
     void (*io_write)(IPackDevice *dev, uint8_t addr, uint16_t val);
diff --git a/hw/char/ipoctal232.c b/hw/char/ipoctal232.c
index 88e2cca..80ebe7b 100644
--- a/hw/char/ipoctal232.c
+++ b/hw/char/ipoctal232.c
@@ -118,6 +118,8 @@ struct IPOctalState {
 
 #define IPOCTAL(obj) \
     OBJECT_CHECK(IPOctalState, (obj), TYPE_IPOCTAL)
+#define IPOCTAL_GET_PARENT_CLASS(obj) \
+    OBJECT_GET_PARENT_CLASS(obj, TYPE_IPOCTAL)
 
 static const VMStateDescription vmstate_scc2698_channel = {
     .name = "scc2698_channel",
@@ -534,11 +536,19 @@ static void hostdev_event(void *opaque, int event)
     }
 }
 
-static int ipoctal_init(IPackDevice *ip)
+static void ipoctal_realize(DeviceState *dev, Error **errp)
 {
-    IPOctalState *s = IPOCTAL(ip);
+    IPOctalState *s = IPOCTAL(dev);
+    DeviceClass *parent_dc = DEVICE_CLASS(IPOCTAL_GET_PARENT_CLASS(dev));
+    Error *err = NULL;
     unsigned i;
 
+    parent_dc->realize(dev, &err);
+    if (err != NULL) {
+        error_propagate(errp, err);
+        return;
+    }
+
     for (i = 0; i < N_CHANNELS; i++) {
         SCC2698Channel *ch = &s->ch[i];
         ch->ipoctal = s;
@@ -552,8 +562,6 @@ static int ipoctal_init(IPackDevice *ip)
             DPRINTF("Could not redirect channel %u, no chardev set\n", i);
         }
     }
-
-    return 0;
 }
 
 static Property ipoctal_properties[] = {
@@ -573,7 +581,6 @@ static void ipoctal_class_init(ObjectClass *klass, void *data)
     DeviceClass *dc = DEVICE_CLASS(klass);
     IPackDeviceClass *ic = IPACK_DEVICE_CLASS(klass);
 
-    ic->init        = ipoctal_init;
     ic->io_read     = io_read;
     ic->io_write    = io_write;
     ic->id_read     = id_read;
@@ -585,6 +592,7 @@ static void ipoctal_class_init(ObjectClass *klass, void *data)
     ic->mem_read8   = mem_read8;
     ic->mem_write8  = mem_write8;
 
+    dc->realize = ipoctal_realize;
     set_bit(DEVICE_CATEGORY_INPUT, dc->categories);
     dc->desc    = "GE IP-Octal 232 8-channel RS-232 IndustryPack";
     dc->props   = ipoctal_properties;
