diff --git a/hw/block/vhost-user-blk.c b/hw/block/vhost-user-blk.c
index 5b7f46bbb0..48b3dabb8d 100644
--- a/hw/block/vhost-user-blk.c
+++ b/hw/block/vhost-user-blk.c
@@ -90,27 +90,39 @@ static void vhost_user_blk_set_config(VirtIODevice *vdev, const uint8_t *config)
     s->blkcfg.wce = blkcfg->wce;
 }
 
+static int vhost_user_blk_sync_config(DeviceState *dev, Error **errp)
+{
+    int ret;
+    VirtIODevice *vdev = VIRTIO_DEVICE(dev);
+    VHostUserBlk *s = VHOST_USER_BLK(vdev);
+
+    ret = vhost_dev_get_config(&s->dev, (uint8_t *)&s->blkcfg,
+                               vdev->config_len, errp);
+    if (ret < 0) {
+        return ret;
+    }
+
+    memcpy(vdev->config, &s->blkcfg, vdev->config_len);
+    virtio_notify_config(vdev);
+
+    return 0;
+}
+
 static int vhost_user_blk_handle_config_change(struct vhost_dev *dev)
 {
     int ret;
-    VirtIODevice *vdev = dev->vdev;
-    VHostUserBlk *s = VHOST_USER_BLK(dev->vdev);
     Error *local_err = NULL;
 
     if (!dev->started) {
         return 0;
     }
 
-    ret = vhost_dev_get_config(dev, (uint8_t *)&s->blkcfg,
-                               vdev->config_len, &local_err);
+    ret = vhost_user_blk_sync_config(DEVICE(dev->vdev), &local_err);
     if (ret < 0) {
         error_report_err(local_err);
         return ret;
     }
 
-    memcpy(dev->vdev->config, &s->blkcfg, vdev->config_len);
-    virtio_notify_config(dev->vdev);
-
     return 0;
 }