diff --git a/hw/qdev-monitor.h b/hw/qdev-monitor.h
index 9ec4850..3760bf5 100644
--- a/hw/qdev-monitor.h
+++ b/hw/qdev-monitor.h
@@ -3,6 +3,7 @@
 
 #include "qdev-core.h"
 #include "monitor/monitor.h"
+#include "qapi/error.h"
 
 /*** monitor commands ***/
 
@@ -11,6 +12,6 @@ void do_info_qdm(Monitor *mon, const QDict *qdict);
 int do_device_add(Monitor *mon, const QDict *qdict, QObject **ret_data);
 int do_device_del(Monitor *mon, const QDict *qdict, QObject **ret_data);
 int qdev_device_help(QemuOpts *opts);
-DeviceState *qdev_device_add(QemuOpts *opts);
+DeviceState *qdev_device_add(QemuOpts *opts, Error **errp);
 
 #endif
diff --git a/hw/qdev-monitor.c b/hw/qdev-monitor.c
index 0c01b04..7e103af 100644
--- a/hw/qdev-monitor.c
+++ b/hw/qdev-monitor.c
@@ -417,7 +417,7 @@ static BusState *qbus_find(const char *path, Error **errp)
     }
 }
 
-DeviceState *qdev_device_add(QemuOpts *opts)
+DeviceState *qdev_device_add(QemuOpts *opts, Error **errp)
 {
     ObjectClass *obj;
     DeviceClass *k;
@@ -428,7 +428,7 @@ DeviceState *qdev_device_add(QemuOpts *opts)
 
     driver = qemu_opt_get(opts, "driver");
     if (!driver) {
-        qerror_report(QERR_MISSING_PARAMETER, "driver");
+        error_set(errp, QERR_MISSING_PARAMETER, "driver");
         return NULL;
     }
 
@@ -444,7 +444,7 @@ DeviceState *qdev_device_add(QemuOpts *opts)
     }
 
     if (!obj) {
-        qerror_report(QERR_INVALID_PARAMETER_VALUE, "driver", "device type");
+        error_set(errp, QERR_INVALID_PARAMETER_VALUE, "driver", "device type");
         return NULL;
     }
 
@@ -455,13 +455,12 @@ DeviceState *qdev_device_add(QemuOpts *opts)
     if (path != NULL) {
         bus = qbus_find(path, &local_err);
         if (!bus) {
-            qerror_report_err(local_err);
-            error_free(local_err);
+            error_propagate(errp, local_err);
             return NULL;
         }
         if (!object_dynamic_cast(OBJECT(bus), k->bus_type)) {
-            qerror_report(QERR_BAD_BUS_FOR_DEVICE,
-                          driver, object_get_typename(OBJECT(bus)));
+            error_set(errp, QERR_BAD_BUS_FOR_DEVICE,
+                      driver, object_get_typename(OBJECT(bus)));
             return NULL;
         }
     } else {
@@ -469,13 +468,12 @@ DeviceState *qdev_device_add(QemuOpts *opts)
                                   &local_err);
         if (!bus) {
             assert(!error_is_set(&local_err));
-            qerror_report(QERR_NO_BUS_FOR_DEVICE,
-                          k->bus_type, driver);
+            error_set(errp, QERR_NO_BUS_FOR_DEVICE, k->bus_type, driver);
             return NULL;
         }
     }
     if (qdev_hotplug && !bus->allow_hotplug) {
-        qerror_report(QERR_BUS_NO_HOTPLUG, bus->name);
+        error_set(errp, QERR_BUS_NO_HOTPLUG, bus->name);
         return NULL;
     }
 
@@ -496,8 +494,7 @@ DeviceState *qdev_device_add(QemuOpts *opts)
         PropertyContext ctx = { .dev = qdev, .errp = &local_err };
 
         if (qemu_opt_foreach(opts, set_property, &ctx, 1) != 0) {
-            qerror_report_err(local_err);
-            error_free(local_err);
+            error_propagate(errp, local_err);
             qdev_free(qdev);
             return NULL;
         }
@@ -514,7 +511,7 @@ DeviceState *qdev_device_add(QemuOpts *opts)
         g_free(name);
     }
     if (qdev_init(qdev) < 0) {
-        qerror_report(QERR_DEVICE_INIT_FAILED, driver);
+        error_set(errp, QERR_DEVICE_INIT_FAILED, driver);
         return NULL;
     }
     qdev->opts = opts;
@@ -627,7 +624,11 @@ int do_device_add(Monitor *mon, const QDict *qdict, QObject **ret_data)
         qemu_opts_del(opts);
         return 0;
     }
-    if (!qdev_device_add(opts)) {
+
+    if (!qdev_device_add(opts, &local_err)) {
+        assert(error_is_set(&local_err));
+        qerror_report_err(local_err);
+        error_free(local_err);
         qemu_opts_del(opts);
         return -1;
     }
diff --git a/vl.c b/vl.c
index 44656d8..f2f8093 100644
--- a/vl.c
+++ b/vl.c
@@ -2232,10 +2232,15 @@ static int device_help_func(QemuOpts *opts, void *opaque)
 static int device_init_func(QemuOpts *opts, void *opaque)
 {
     DeviceState *dev;
+    Error *local_err = NULL;
 
-    dev = qdev_device_add(opts);
-    if (!dev)
+    dev = qdev_device_add(opts, &local_err);
+    assert((dev == NULL) == error_is_set(&local_err));
+    if (!dev) {
+        qerror_report_err(local_err);
+        error_free(local_err);
         return -1;
+    }
     return 0;
 }
 
