diff --git a/hw/i386/xen/xen-hvm.c b/hw/i386/xen/xen-hvm.c
index b9a6f7f538..e5a1dd19f4 100644
--- a/hw/i386/xen/xen-hvm.c
+++ b/hw/i386/xen/xen-hvm.c
@@ -1502,13 +1502,7 @@ void xen_hvm_init_pc(PCMachineState *pcms, MemoryRegion **ram_memory)
     device_listener_register(&state->device_listener);
 
     xen_bus_init();
-
-    /* Initialize backend core & drivers */
-    if (xen_be_init() != 0) {
-        error_report("xen backend core setup failed");
-        goto err;
-    }
-    xen_be_register_common();
+    xen_be_init();
 
     QLIST_INIT(&xen_physmap);
     xen_read_physmap(state);
diff --git a/hw/xen/xen-legacy-backend.c b/hw/xen/xen-legacy-backend.c
index 085fd31ef7..afba71f6eb 100644
--- a/hw/xen/xen-legacy-backend.c
+++ b/hw/xen/xen-legacy-backend.c
@@ -676,21 +676,30 @@ void xenstore_update_fe(char *watch, struct XenLegacyDevice *xendev)
 }
 /* -------------------------------------------------------------------- */
 
-int xen_be_init(void)
+static void xen_set_dynamic_sysbus(void)
+{
+    Object *machine = qdev_get_machine();
+    ObjectClass *oc = object_get_class(machine);
+    MachineClass *mc = MACHINE_CLASS(oc);
+
+    machine_class_allow_dynamic_sysbus_dev(mc, TYPE_XENSYSDEV);
+}
+
+void xen_be_init(void)
 {
     xengnttab_handle *gnttabdev;
 
     xenstore = xs_daemon_open();
     if (!xenstore) {
         xen_pv_printf(NULL, 0, "can't connect to xenstored\n");
-        return -1;
+        exit(1);
     }
 
     qemu_set_fd_handler(xs_fileno(xenstore), xenstore_update, NULL, NULL);
 
     if (xen_xc == NULL || xen_fmem == NULL) {
-        /* Check if xen_init() have been called */
-        goto err;
+        xen_pv_printf(NULL, 0, "Xen operations not set up\n");
+        exit(1);
     }
 
     gnttabdev = xengnttab_open(NULL, 0);
@@ -706,23 +715,16 @@ int xen_be_init(void)
     xen_sysbus = qbus_new(TYPE_XENSYSBUS, xen_sysdev, "xen-sysbus");
     qbus_set_bus_hotplug_handler(xen_sysbus);
 
-    return 0;
+    xen_set_dynamic_sysbus();
 
-err:
-    qemu_set_fd_handler(xs_fileno(xenstore), NULL, NULL, NULL);
-    xs_daemon_close(xenstore);
-    xenstore = NULL;
-
-    return -1;
-}
-
-static void xen_set_dynamic_sysbus(void)
-{
-    Object *machine = qdev_get_machine();
-    ObjectClass *oc = object_get_class(machine);
-    MachineClass *mc = MACHINE_CLASS(oc);
-
-    machine_class_allow_dynamic_sysbus_dev(mc, TYPE_XENSYSDEV);
+    xen_be_register("console", &xen_console_ops);
+    xen_be_register("vkbd", &xen_kbdmouse_ops);
+#ifdef CONFIG_VIRTFS
+    xen_be_register("9pfs", &xen_9pfs_ops);
+#endif
+#ifdef CONFIG_USB_LIBUSB
+    xen_be_register("qusb", &xen_usb_ops);
+#endif
 }
 
 int xen_be_register(const char *type, struct XenDevOps *ops)
@@ -744,20 +746,6 @@ int xen_be_register(const char *type, struct XenDevOps *ops)
     return xenstore_scan(type, xen_domid, ops);
 }
 
-void xen_be_register_common(void)
-{
-    xen_set_dynamic_sysbus();
-
-    xen_be_register("console", &xen_console_ops);
-    xen_be_register("vkbd", &xen_kbdmouse_ops);
-#ifdef CONFIG_VIRTFS
-    xen_be_register("9pfs", &xen_9pfs_ops);
-#endif
-#ifdef CONFIG_USB_LIBUSB
-    xen_be_register("qusb", &xen_usb_ops);
-#endif
-}
-
 int xen_be_bind_evtchn(struct XenLegacyDevice *xendev)
 {
     if (xendev->local_port != -1) {
diff --git a/hw/xenpv/xen_machine_pv.c b/hw/xenpv/xen_machine_pv.c
index 20c9611d71..2e759d0619 100644
--- a/hw/xenpv/xen_machine_pv.c
+++ b/hw/xenpv/xen_machine_pv.c
@@ -36,10 +36,7 @@ static void xen_init_pv(MachineState *machine)
     int i;
 
     /* Initialize backend core & drivers */
-    if (xen_be_init() != 0) {
-        error_report("%s: xen backend core setup failed", __func__);
-        exit(1);
-    }
+    xen_be_init();
 
     switch (xen_mode) {
     case XEN_ATTACH:
@@ -55,7 +52,6 @@ static void xen_init_pv(MachineState *machine)
         break;
     }
 
-    xen_be_register_common();
     xen_be_register("vfb", &xen_framebuffer_ops);
     xen_be_register("qnic", &xen_netdev_ops);
 
diff --git a/include/hw/xen/xen-legacy-backend.h b/include/hw/xen/xen-legacy-backend.h
index be281e1f38..e31cd3a068 100644
--- a/include/hw/xen/xen-legacy-backend.h
+++ b/include/hw/xen/xen-legacy-backend.h
@@ -42,8 +42,7 @@ int xenstore_read_fe_uint64(struct XenLegacyDevice *xendev, const char *node,
 void xen_be_check_state(struct XenLegacyDevice *xendev);
 
 /* xen backend driver bits */
-int xen_be_init(void);
-void xen_be_register_common(void);
+void xen_be_init(void);
 int xen_be_register(const char *type, struct XenDevOps *ops);
 int xen_be_set_state(struct XenLegacyDevice *xendev, enum xenbus_state state);
 int xen_be_bind_evtchn(struct XenLegacyDevice *xendev);