diff --git a/exec.c b/exec.c
index a34c348184..6bd4aa1d87 100644
--- a/exec.c
+++ b/exec.c
@@ -1843,6 +1843,7 @@ static void *file_ram_alloc(RAMBlock *block,
                             bool truncate,
                             Error **errp)
 {
+    Error *err = NULL;
     MachineState *ms = MACHINE(qdev_get_machine());
     void *area;
 
@@ -1900,8 +1901,9 @@ static void *file_ram_alloc(RAMBlock *block,
     }
 
     if (mem_prealloc) {
-        os_mem_prealloc(fd, area, memory, ms->smp.cpus, errp);
-        if (errp && *errp) {
+        os_mem_prealloc(fd, area, memory, ms->smp.cpus, &err);
+        if (err) {
+            error_propagate(errp, err);
             qemu_ram_munmap(fd, area, memory);
             return NULL;
         }