diff --git a/hw/scsi/vhost-scsi-common.c b/hw/scsi/vhost-scsi-common.c
index a61cd0e907..4c8637045d 100644
--- a/hw/scsi/vhost-scsi-common.c
+++ b/hw/scsi/vhost-scsi-common.c
@@ -16,6 +16,7 @@
  */
 
 #include "qemu/osdep.h"
+#include "qapi/error.h"
 #include "qemu/error-report.h"
 #include "qemu/module.h"
 #include "hw/virtio/vhost.h"
@@ -25,7 +26,7 @@
 #include "hw/virtio/virtio-access.h"
 #include "hw/fw-path-provider.h"
 
-int vhost_scsi_common_start(VHostSCSICommon *vsc)
+int vhost_scsi_common_start(VHostSCSICommon *vsc, Error **errp)
 {
     int ret, i;
     VirtIODevice *vdev = VIRTIO_DEVICE(vsc);
@@ -35,18 +36,19 @@ int vhost_scsi_common_start(VHostSCSICommon *vsc)
     VirtIOSCSICommon *vs = (VirtIOSCSICommon *)vsc;
 
     if (!k->set_guest_notifiers) {
-        error_report("binding does not support guest notifiers");
+        error_setg(errp, "binding does not support guest notifiers");
         return -ENOSYS;
     }
 
     ret = vhost_dev_enable_notifiers(&vsc->dev, vdev);
     if (ret < 0) {
+        error_setg_errno(errp, -ret, "Error enabling host notifiers");
         return ret;
     }
 
     ret = k->set_guest_notifiers(qbus->parent, vsc->dev.nvqs, true);
     if (ret < 0) {
-        error_report("Error binding guest notifier");
+        error_setg_errno(errp, -ret, "Error binding guest notifier");
         goto err_host_notifiers;
     }
 
@@ -54,7 +56,7 @@ int vhost_scsi_common_start(VHostSCSICommon *vsc)
 
     ret = vhost_dev_prepare_inflight(&vsc->dev, vdev);
     if (ret < 0) {
-        error_report("Error setting inflight format: %d", -ret);
+        error_setg_errno(errp, -ret, "Error setting inflight format");
         goto err_guest_notifiers;
     }
 
@@ -64,21 +66,21 @@ int vhost_scsi_common_start(VHostSCSICommon *vsc)
                                         vs->conf.virtqueue_size,
                                         vsc->inflight);
             if (ret < 0) {
-                error_report("Error getting inflight: %d", -ret);
+                error_setg_errno(errp, -ret, "Error getting inflight");
                 goto err_guest_notifiers;
             }
         }
 
         ret = vhost_dev_set_inflight(&vsc->dev, vsc->inflight);
         if (ret < 0) {
-            error_report("Error setting inflight: %d", -ret);
+            error_setg_errno(errp, -ret, "Error setting inflight");
             goto err_guest_notifiers;
         }
     }
 
     ret = vhost_dev_start(&vsc->dev, vdev, true);
     if (ret < 0) {
-        error_report("Error start vhost dev");
+        error_setg_errno(errp, -ret, "Error starting vhost dev");
         goto err_guest_notifiers;
     }
 
diff --git a/hw/scsi/vhost-scsi.c b/hw/scsi/vhost-scsi.c
index 443f67daa4..01a3ab4277 100644
--- a/hw/scsi/vhost-scsi.c
+++ b/hw/scsi/vhost-scsi.c
@@ -75,6 +75,7 @@ static int vhost_scsi_start(VHostSCSI *s)
     int ret, abi_version;
     VHostSCSICommon *vsc = VHOST_SCSI_COMMON(s);
     const VhostOps *vhost_ops = vsc->dev.vhost_ops;
+    Error *local_err = NULL;
 
     ret = vhost_ops->vhost_scsi_get_abi_version(&vsc->dev, &abi_version);
     if (ret < 0) {
@@ -88,14 +89,14 @@ static int vhost_scsi_start(VHostSCSI *s)
         return -ENOSYS;
     }
 
-    ret = vhost_scsi_common_start(vsc);
+    ret = vhost_scsi_common_start(vsc, &local_err);
     if (ret < 0) {
         return ret;
     }
 
     ret = vhost_scsi_set_endpoint(s);
     if (ret < 0) {
-        error_report("Error setting vhost-scsi endpoint");
+        error_reportf_err(local_err, "Error setting vhost-scsi endpoint");
         vhost_scsi_common_stop(vsc);
     }
 
diff --git a/hw/scsi/vhost-user-scsi.c b/hw/scsi/vhost-user-scsi.c
index e931df9f5b..62fc98bb1c 100644
--- a/hw/scsi/vhost-user-scsi.c
+++ b/hw/scsi/vhost-user-scsi.c
@@ -43,12 +43,12 @@ enum VhostUserProtocolFeature {
     VHOST_USER_PROTOCOL_F_RESET_DEVICE = 13,
 };
 
-static int vhost_user_scsi_start(VHostUserSCSI *s)
+static int vhost_user_scsi_start(VHostUserSCSI *s, Error **errp)
 {
     VHostSCSICommon *vsc = VHOST_SCSI_COMMON(s);
     int ret;
 
-    ret = vhost_scsi_common_start(vsc);
+    ret = vhost_scsi_common_start(vsc, errp);
     s->started_vu = (ret < 0 ? false : true);
 
     return ret;
@@ -73,6 +73,7 @@ static void vhost_user_scsi_set_status(VirtIODevice *vdev, uint8_t status)
     VHostSCSICommon *vsc = VHOST_SCSI_COMMON(s);
     VirtIOSCSICommon *vs = VIRTIO_SCSI_COMMON(dev);
     bool should_start = virtio_device_should_start(vdev, status);
+    Error *local_err = NULL;
     int ret;
 
     if (!s->connected) {
@@ -84,9 +85,10 @@ static void vhost_user_scsi_set_status(VirtIODevice *vdev, uint8_t status)
     }
 
     if (should_start) {
-        ret = vhost_user_scsi_start(s);
+        ret = vhost_user_scsi_start(s, &local_err);
         if (ret < 0) {
-            error_report("unable to start vhost-user-scsi: %s", strerror(-ret));
+            error_reportf_err(local_err, "unable to start vhost-user-scsi: %s",
+                              strerror(-ret));
             qemu_chr_fe_disconnect(&vs->conf.chardev);
         }
     } else {
@@ -139,7 +141,7 @@ static void vhost_user_scsi_handle_output(VirtIODevice *vdev, VirtQueue *vq)
      * Some guests kick before setting VIRTIO_CONFIG_S_DRIVER_OK so start
      * vhost here instead of waiting for .set_status().
      */
-    ret = vhost_user_scsi_start(s);
+    ret = vhost_user_scsi_start(s, &local_err);
     if (ret < 0) {
         error_reportf_err(local_err, "vhost-user-scsi: vhost start failed: ");
         qemu_chr_fe_disconnect(&vs->conf.chardev);
@@ -184,7 +186,7 @@ static int vhost_user_scsi_connect(DeviceState *dev, Error **errp)
 
     /* restore vhost state */
     if (virtio_device_started(vdev, vdev->status)) {
-        ret = vhost_user_scsi_start(s);
+        ret = vhost_user_scsi_start(s, errp);
         if (ret < 0) {
             return ret;
         }
diff --git a/include/hw/virtio/vhost-scsi-common.h b/include/hw/virtio/vhost-scsi-common.h
index 18f115527c..c5d2c09455 100644
--- a/include/hw/virtio/vhost-scsi-common.h
+++ b/include/hw/virtio/vhost-scsi-common.h
@@ -39,7 +39,7 @@ struct VHostSCSICommon {
     struct vhost_inflight *inflight;
 };
 
-int vhost_scsi_common_start(VHostSCSICommon *vsc);
+int vhost_scsi_common_start(VHostSCSICommon *vsc, Error **errp);
 void vhost_scsi_common_stop(VHostSCSICommon *vsc);
 char *vhost_scsi_common_get_fw_dev_path(FWPathProvider *p, BusState *bus,
                                         DeviceState *dev);
