diff --git a/chardev/char.c b/chardev/char.c
index c34b44abc9..5d283b90d3 100644
--- a/chardev/char.c
+++ b/chardev/char.c
@@ -620,7 +620,7 @@ Chardev *qemu_chr_new_from_opts(QemuOpts *opts, Error **errp)
 
         error_report("Available chardev backend types: %s", str->str);
         g_string_free(str, true);
-        exit(0);
+        return NULL;
     }
 
     if (id == NULL) {
diff --git a/include/chardev/char.h b/include/chardev/char.h
index 1604ea9143..66dde4637e 100644
--- a/include/chardev/char.h
+++ b/include/chardev/char.h
@@ -65,7 +65,9 @@ struct Chardev {
  *
  * @opts see qemu-config.c for a list of valid options
  *
- * Returns: a new character backend
+ * Returns: on success: a new character backend
+ *          otherwise:  NULL; @errp specifies the error
+ *                            or left untouched in case of help option
  */
 Chardev *qemu_chr_new_from_opts(QemuOpts *opts,
                                 Error **errp);
diff --git a/vl.c b/vl.c
index dd803fc244..99fcfa0442 100644
--- a/vl.c
+++ b/vl.c
@@ -2344,10 +2344,12 @@ static int chardev_init_func(void *opaque, QemuOpts *opts, Error **errp)
 {
     Error *local_err = NULL;
 
-    qemu_chr_new_from_opts(opts, &local_err);
-    if (local_err) {
-        error_report_err(local_err);
-        return -1;
+    if (!qemu_chr_new_from_opts(opts, &local_err)) {
+        if (local_err) {
+            error_report_err(local_err);
+            return -1;
+        }
+        exit(0);
     }
     return 0;
 }