diff --git a/hw/core/machine.c b/hw/core/machine.c
index 0198b54b39..1898d1d1d7 100644
--- a/hw/core/machine.c
+++ b/hw/core/machine.c
@@ -1477,15 +1477,16 @@ void machine_run_board_init(MachineState *machine, const char *mem_path, Error *
 
         if (!machine_class->valid_cpu_types[i]) {
             /* The user specified CPU is not valid */
-            error_report("Invalid CPU type: %s", machine->cpu_type);
-            error_printf("The valid types are: %s",
-                         machine_class->valid_cpu_types[0]);
+            error_setg(errp, "Invalid CPU type: %s", machine->cpu_type);
+            error_append_hint(errp, "The valid types are: %s",
+                              machine_class->valid_cpu_types[0]);
             for (i = 1; machine_class->valid_cpu_types[i]; i++) {
-                error_printf(", %s", machine_class->valid_cpu_types[i]);
+                error_append_hint(errp, ", %s",
+                                  machine_class->valid_cpu_types[i]);
             }
-            error_printf("\n");
 
-            exit(1);
+            error_append_hint(errp, "\n");
+            return;
         }
     }