diff --git a/hw/display/trace-events b/hw/display/trace-events
index 4a687d1b8e..91efc88f04 100644
--- a/hw/display/trace-events
+++ b/hw/display/trace-events
@@ -21,6 +21,9 @@ vmware_palette_write(uint32_t index, uint32_t value) "index %d, value 0x%x"
 vmware_scratch_read(uint32_t index, uint32_t value) "index %d, value 0x%x"
 vmware_scratch_write(uint32_t index, uint32_t value) "index %d, value 0x%x"
 vmware_setmode(uint32_t w, uint32_t h, uint32_t bpp) "%dx%d @ %d bpp"
+vmware_verify_rect_less_than_zero(const char *name, const char *param, int x) "%s: %s was < 0 (%d)"
+vmware_verify_rect_greater_than_bound(const char *name, const char *param, int bound, int x) "%s: %s was > %d (%d)"
+vmware_verify_rect_surface_bound_exceeded(const char *name, const char *component, int bound, const char *param1, int value1, const char *param2, int value2) "%s: %s > %d (%s: %d, %s: %d)"
 
 # virtio-gpu-base.c
 virtio_gpu_features(bool virgl) "virgl %d"
diff --git a/hw/display/vmware_vga.c b/hw/display/vmware_vga.c
index e2969a6c81..0cc43a1f15 100644
--- a/hw/display/vmware_vga.c
+++ b/hw/display/vmware_vga.c
@@ -297,46 +297,52 @@ static inline bool vmsvga_verify_rect(DisplaySurface *surface,
                                       int x, int y, int w, int h)
 {
     if (x < 0) {
-        fprintf(stderr, "%s: x was < 0 (%d)\n", name, x);
+        trace_vmware_verify_rect_less_than_zero(name, "x", x);
         return false;
     }
     if (x > SVGA_MAX_WIDTH) {
-        fprintf(stderr, "%s: x was > %d (%d)\n", name, SVGA_MAX_WIDTH, x);
+        trace_vmware_verify_rect_greater_than_bound(name, "x", SVGA_MAX_WIDTH,
+                                                    x);
         return false;
     }
     if (w < 0) {
-        fprintf(stderr, "%s: w was < 0 (%d)\n", name, w);
+        trace_vmware_verify_rect_less_than_zero(name, "w", w);
         return false;
     }
     if (w > SVGA_MAX_WIDTH) {
-        fprintf(stderr, "%s: w was > %d (%d)\n", name, SVGA_MAX_WIDTH, w);
+        trace_vmware_verify_rect_greater_than_bound(name, "w", SVGA_MAX_WIDTH,
+                                                    w);
         return false;
     }
     if (x + w > surface_width(surface)) {
-        fprintf(stderr, "%s: width was > %d (x: %d, w: %d)\n",
-                name, surface_width(surface), x, w);
+        trace_vmware_verify_rect_surface_bound_exceeded(name, "width",
+                                                        surface_width(surface),
+                                                        "x", x, "w", w);
         return false;
     }
 
     if (y < 0) {
-        fprintf(stderr, "%s: y was < 0 (%d)\n", name, y);
+        trace_vmware_verify_rect_less_than_zero(name, "y", y);
         return false;
     }
     if (y > SVGA_MAX_HEIGHT) {
-        fprintf(stderr, "%s: y was > %d (%d)\n", name, SVGA_MAX_HEIGHT, y);
+        trace_vmware_verify_rect_greater_than_bound(name, "y", SVGA_MAX_HEIGHT,
+                                                    y);
         return false;
     }
     if (h < 0) {
-        fprintf(stderr, "%s: h was < 0 (%d)\n", name, h);
+        trace_vmware_verify_rect_less_than_zero(name, "h", h);
         return false;
     }
     if (h > SVGA_MAX_HEIGHT) {
-        fprintf(stderr, "%s: h was > %d (%d)\n", name, SVGA_MAX_HEIGHT, h);
+        trace_vmware_verify_rect_greater_than_bound(name, "y", SVGA_MAX_HEIGHT,
+                                                    y);
         return false;
     }
     if (y + h > surface_height(surface)) {
-        fprintf(stderr, "%s: update height > %d (y: %d, h: %d)\n",
-                name, surface_height(surface), y, h);
+        trace_vmware_verify_rect_surface_bound_exceeded(name, "height",
+                                                        surface_height(surface),
+                                                        "y", y, "h", h);
         return false;
     }