diff --git a/hw/ppc/spapr.c b/hw/ppc/spapr.c
index 7f3a620d41..4256794f3b 100644
--- a/hw/ppc/spapr.c
+++ b/hw/ppc/spapr.c
@@ -3490,9 +3490,7 @@ static void spapr_memory_pre_plug(HotplugHandler *hotplug_dev, DeviceState *dev,
     memdev = object_property_get_link(OBJECT(dimm), PC_DIMM_MEMDEV_PROP,
                                       &error_abort);
     pagesize = host_memory_backend_pagesize(MEMORY_BACKEND(memdev));
-    spapr_check_pagesize(spapr, pagesize, &local_err);
-    if (local_err) {
-        error_propagate(errp, local_err);
+    if (!spapr_check_pagesize(spapr, pagesize, errp)) {
         return;
     }
 
diff --git a/hw/ppc/spapr_caps.c b/hw/ppc/spapr_caps.c
index 10a80a8159..9341e9782a 100644
--- a/hw/ppc/spapr_caps.c
+++ b/hw/ppc/spapr_caps.c
@@ -310,13 +310,13 @@ static void cap_safe_indirect_branch_apply(SpaprMachineState *spapr,
 
 #define VALUE_DESC_TRISTATE     " (broken, workaround, fixed)"
 
-void spapr_check_pagesize(SpaprMachineState *spapr, hwaddr pagesize,
+bool spapr_check_pagesize(SpaprMachineState *spapr, hwaddr pagesize,
                           Error **errp)
 {
     hwaddr maxpagesize = (1ULL << spapr->eff.caps[SPAPR_CAP_HPT_MAXPAGESIZE]);
 
     if (!kvmppc_hpt_needs_host_contiguous_pages()) {
-        return;
+        return true;
     }
 
     if (maxpagesize > pagesize) {
@@ -324,7 +324,10 @@ void spapr_check_pagesize(SpaprMachineState *spapr, hwaddr pagesize,
                    "Can't support %"HWADDR_PRIu" kiB guest pages with %"
                    HWADDR_PRIu" kiB host pages with this KVM implementation",
                    maxpagesize >> 10, pagesize >> 10);
+        return false;
     }
+
+    return true;
 }
 
 static void cap_hpt_maxpagesize_apply(SpaprMachineState *spapr,
diff --git a/include/hw/ppc/spapr.h b/include/hw/ppc/spapr.h
index 02f3c29838..bba8736269 100644
--- a/include/hw/ppc/spapr.h
+++ b/include/hw/ppc/spapr.h
@@ -934,7 +934,7 @@ void spapr_caps_cpu_apply(SpaprMachineState *spapr, PowerPCCPU *cpu);
 void spapr_caps_add_properties(SpaprMachineClass *smc);
 int spapr_caps_post_migration(SpaprMachineState *spapr);
 
-void spapr_check_pagesize(SpaprMachineState *spapr, hwaddr pagesize,
+bool spapr_check_pagesize(SpaprMachineState *spapr, hwaddr pagesize,
                           Error **errp);
 /*
  * XIVE definitions