diff --git a/vl.c b/vl.c
index 73122d8716..1355f6959e 100644
--- a/vl.c
+++ b/vl.c
@@ -3135,8 +3135,10 @@ int main(int argc, char **argv, char **envp)
                                 exit(1);
                             }
                         }
-                        qemu_opts_parse(qemu_find_opts("boot-opts"),
-                                        optarg, 0);
+                        if (!qemu_opts_parse(qemu_find_opts("boot-opts"),
+                                             optarg, 0)) {
+                            exit(1);
+                        }
                     }
                 }
                 break;
@@ -3623,6 +3625,9 @@ int main(int argc, char **argv, char **envp)
 		    exit(1);
 		}
                 opts = qemu_opts_parse(qemu_find_opts("option-rom"), optarg, 1);
+                if (!opts) {
+                    exit(1);
+                }
                 option_rom[nb_option_roms].name = qemu_opt_get(opts, "romfile");
                 option_rom[nb_option_roms].bootindex =
                     qemu_opt_get_number(opts, "bootindex", -1);
@@ -3780,14 +3785,14 @@ int main(int argc, char **argv, char **envp)
             case QEMU_OPTION_sandbox:
                 opts = qemu_opts_parse(qemu_find_opts("sandbox"), optarg, 1);
                 if (!opts) {
-                    exit(0);
+                    exit(1);
                 }
                 break;
             case QEMU_OPTION_add_fd:
 #ifndef _WIN32
                 opts = qemu_opts_parse(qemu_find_opts("add-fd"), optarg, 0);
                 if (!opts) {
-                    exit(0);
+                    exit(1);
                 }
 #else
                 error_report("File descriptor passing is disabled on this "
@@ -3797,6 +3802,9 @@ int main(int argc, char **argv, char **envp)
                 break;
             case QEMU_OPTION_object:
                 opts = qemu_opts_parse(qemu_find_opts("object"), optarg, 1);
+                if (!opts) {
+                    exit(1);
+                }
                 break;
             default:
                 os_parse_cmd_args(popt->index, optarg);