diff --git a/hw/mem/memory-device.c b/hw/mem/memory-device.c
index aef148c1d7..4bc9cf0917 100644
--- a/hw/mem/memory-device.c
+++ b/hw/mem/memory-device.c
@@ -99,6 +99,7 @@ static uint64_t memory_device_get_free_addr(MachineState *ms,
                                             uint64_t align, uint64_t size,
                                             Error **errp)
 {
+    Error *err = NULL;
     GSList *list = NULL, *item;
     Range as, new = range_empty;
 
@@ -123,8 +124,9 @@ static uint64_t memory_device_get_free_addr(MachineState *ms,
         return 0;
     }
 
-    memory_device_check_addable(ms, size, errp);
-    if (*errp) {
+    memory_device_check_addable(ms, size, &err);
+    if (err) {
+        error_propagate(errp, err);
         return 0;
     }