diff --git a/include/hw/ppc/spapr.h b/include/hw/ppc/spapr.h
index 2e89e36cfbdc..b7ced9faebf5 100644
--- a/include/hw/ppc/spapr.h
+++ b/include/hw/ppc/spapr.h
@@ -140,7 +140,7 @@ struct SpaprMachineClass {
     bool pre_5_1_assoc_refpoints;
     bool pre_5_2_numa_associativity;
 
-    void (*phb_placement)(SpaprMachineState *spapr, uint32_t index,
+    bool (*phb_placement)(SpaprMachineState *spapr, uint32_t index,
                           uint64_t *buid, hwaddr *pio, 
                           hwaddr *mmio32, hwaddr *mmio64,
                           unsigned n_dma, uint32_t *liobns, hwaddr *nv2gpa,
diff --git a/hw/ppc/spapr.c b/hw/ppc/spapr.c
index cfca033c7b14..81bac59887ab 100644
--- a/hw/ppc/spapr.c
+++ b/hw/ppc/spapr.c
@@ -3865,7 +3865,7 @@ int spapr_phb_dt_populate(SpaprDrc *drc, SpaprMachineState *spapr,
     return 0;
 }
 
-static void spapr_phb_pre_plug(HotplugHandler *hotplug_dev, DeviceState *dev,
+static bool spapr_phb_pre_plug(HotplugHandler *hotplug_dev, DeviceState *dev,
                                Error **errp)
 {
     SpaprMachineState *spapr = SPAPR_MACHINE(OBJECT(hotplug_dev));
@@ -3875,24 +3875,25 @@ static void spapr_phb_pre_plug(HotplugHandler *hotplug_dev, DeviceState *dev,
 
     if (dev->hotplugged && !smc->dr_phb_enabled) {
         error_setg(errp, "PHB hotplug not supported for this machine");
-        return;
+        return false;
     }
 
     if (sphb->index == (uint32_t)-1) {
         error_setg(errp, "\"index\" for PAPR PHB is mandatory");
-        return;
+        return false;
     }
 
     /*
      * This will check that sphb->index doesn't exceed the maximum number of
      * PHBs for the current machine type.
      */
-    smc->phb_placement(spapr, sphb->index,
-                       &sphb->buid, &sphb->io_win_addr,
-                       &sphb->mem_win_addr, &sphb->mem64_win_addr,
-                       windows_supported, sphb->dma_liobn,
-                       &sphb->nv2_gpa_win_addr, &sphb->nv2_atsd_win_addr,
-                       errp);
+    return
+        smc->phb_placement(spapr, sphb->index,
+                           &sphb->buid, &sphb->io_win_addr,
+                           &sphb->mem_win_addr, &sphb->mem64_win_addr,
+                           windows_supported, sphb->dma_liobn,
+                           &sphb->nv2_gpa_win_addr, &sphb->nv2_atsd_win_addr,
+                           errp);
 }
 
 static void spapr_phb_plug(HotplugHandler *hotplug_dev, DeviceState *dev,
@@ -4130,7 +4131,7 @@ static const CPUArchIdList *spapr_possible_cpu_arch_ids(MachineState *machine)
     return machine->possible_cpus;
 }
 
-static void spapr_phb_placement(SpaprMachineState *spapr, uint32_t index,
+static bool spapr_phb_placement(SpaprMachineState *spapr, uint32_t index,
                                 uint64_t *buid, hwaddr *pio,
                                 hwaddr *mmio32, hwaddr *mmio64,
                                 unsigned n_dma, uint32_t *liobns,
@@ -4168,7 +4169,7 @@ static void spapr_phb_placement(SpaprMachineState *spapr, uint32_t index,
     if (index >= SPAPR_MAX_PHBS) {
         error_setg(errp, "\"index\" for PAPR PHB is too large (max %llu)",
                    SPAPR_MAX_PHBS - 1);
-        return;
+        return false;
     }
 
     *buid = base_buid + index;
@@ -4182,6 +4183,7 @@ static void spapr_phb_placement(SpaprMachineState *spapr, uint32_t index,
 
     *nv2gpa = SPAPR_PCI_NV2RAM64_WIN_BASE + index * SPAPR_PCI_NV2RAM64_WIN_SIZE;
     *nv2atsd = SPAPR_PCI_NV2ATSD_WIN_BASE + index * SPAPR_PCI_NV2ATSD_WIN_SIZE;
+    return true;
 }
 
 static ICSState *spapr_ics_get(XICSFabric *dev, int irq)
@@ -4561,18 +4563,21 @@ DEFINE_SPAPR_MACHINE(4_1, "4.1", false);
 /*
  * pseries-4.0
  */
-static void phb_placement_4_0(SpaprMachineState *spapr, uint32_t index,
+static bool phb_placement_4_0(SpaprMachineState *spapr, uint32_t index,
                               uint64_t *buid, hwaddr *pio,
                               hwaddr *mmio32, hwaddr *mmio64,
                               unsigned n_dma, uint32_t *liobns,
                               hwaddr *nv2gpa, hwaddr *nv2atsd, Error **errp)
 {
-    spapr_phb_placement(spapr, index, buid, pio, mmio32, mmio64, n_dma, liobns,
-                        nv2gpa, nv2atsd, errp);
+    if (!spapr_phb_placement(spapr, index, buid, pio, mmio32, mmio64, n_dma,
+                             liobns, nv2gpa, nv2atsd, errp)) {
+        return false;
+    }
+
     *nv2gpa = 0;
     *nv2atsd = 0;
+    return true;
 }
-
 static void spapr_machine_4_0_class_options(MachineClass *mc)
 {
     SpaprMachineClass *smc = SPAPR_MACHINE_CLASS(mc);
@@ -4732,7 +4737,7 @@ DEFINE_SPAPR_MACHINE(2_8, "2.8", false);
  * pseries-2.7
  */
 
-static void phb_placement_2_7(SpaprMachineState *spapr, uint32_t index,
+static bool phb_placement_2_7(SpaprMachineState *spapr, uint32_t index,
                               uint64_t *buid, hwaddr *pio,
                               hwaddr *mmio32, hwaddr *mmio64,
                               unsigned n_dma, uint32_t *liobns,
@@ -4764,7 +4769,7 @@ static void phb_placement_2_7(SpaprMachineState *spapr, uint32_t index,
     if (index > max_index) {
         error_setg(errp, "\"index\" for PAPR PHB is too large (max %u)",
                    max_index);
-        return;
+        return false;
     }
 
     *buid = base_buid + index;
@@ -4783,6 +4788,7 @@ static void phb_placement_2_7(SpaprMachineState *spapr, uint32_t index,
 
     *nv2gpa = 0;
     *nv2atsd = 0;
+    return true;
 }
 
 static void spapr_machine_2_7_class_options(MachineClass *mc)
