diff --git a/backends/hostmem-ram.c b/backends/hostmem-ram.c
index e55d066cde..a67a134521 100644
--- a/backends/hostmem-ram.c
+++ b/backends/hostmem-ram.c
@@ -27,7 +27,7 @@ ram_backend_memory_alloc(HostMemoryBackend *backend, Error **errp)
 
     path = object_get_canonical_path_component(OBJECT(backend));
     memory_region_init_ram(&backend->mr, OBJECT(backend), path,
-                           backend->size, &error_abort);
+                           backend->size, errp);
     g_free(path);
 }