diff --git a/chardev/char.c b/chardev/char.c
index 87237568df..e77564060d 100644
--- a/chardev/char.c
+++ b/chardev/char.c
@@ -737,7 +737,13 @@ Chardev *qemu_chr_new_noreplay(const char *label, const char *filename,
 
     if (qemu_opt_get_bool(opts, "mux", 0)) {
         assert(permit_mux_mon);
-        monitor_init_hmp(chr, true);
+        monitor_init_hmp(chr, true, &err);
+        if (err) {
+            error_report_err(err);
+            object_unparent(OBJECT(chr));
+            chr = NULL;
+            goto out;
+        }
     }
 
 out:
diff --git a/gdbstub.c b/gdbstub.c
index ce304ff482..22a2d630cd 100644
--- a/gdbstub.c
+++ b/gdbstub.c
@@ -3367,7 +3367,7 @@ int gdbserver_start(const char *device)
         /* Initialize a monitor terminal for gdb */
         mon_chr = qemu_chardev_new(NULL, TYPE_CHARDEV_GDB,
                                    NULL, NULL, &error_abort);
-        monitor_init_hmp(mon_chr, false);
+        monitor_init_hmp(mon_chr, false, &error_abort);
     } else {
         qemu_chr_fe_deinit(&s->chr, true);
         mon_chr = s->mon_chr;
diff --git a/include/monitor/monitor.h b/include/monitor/monitor.h
index e55a3b57e0..ad823b9edb 100644
--- a/include/monitor/monitor.h
+++ b/include/monitor/monitor.h
@@ -18,7 +18,7 @@ bool monitor_cur_is_qmp(void);
 void monitor_init_globals(void);
 void monitor_init_globals_core(void);
 void monitor_init_qmp(Chardev *chr, bool pretty, Error **errp);
-void monitor_init_hmp(Chardev *chr, bool use_readline);
+void monitor_init_hmp(Chardev *chr, bool use_readline, Error **errp);
 int monitor_init(MonitorOptions *opts, Error **errp);
 int monitor_init_opts(QemuOpts *opts, Error **errp);
 void monitor_cleanup(void);
diff --git a/monitor/hmp.c b/monitor/hmp.c
index 944fa9651e..d598dd02bb 100644
--- a/monitor/hmp.c
+++ b/monitor/hmp.c
@@ -1399,12 +1399,16 @@ static void monitor_readline_flush(void *opaque)
     monitor_flush(&mon->common);
 }
 
-void monitor_init_hmp(Chardev *chr, bool use_readline)
+void monitor_init_hmp(Chardev *chr, bool use_readline, Error **errp)
 {
     MonitorHMP *mon = g_new0(MonitorHMP, 1);
 
+    if (!qemu_chr_fe_init(&mon->common.chr, chr, errp)) {
+        g_free(mon);
+        return;
+    }
+
     monitor_data_init(&mon->common, false, false, false);
-    qemu_chr_fe_init(&mon->common.chr, chr, &error_abort);
 
     mon->use_readline = use_readline;
     if (mon->use_readline) {
diff --git a/monitor/monitor.c b/monitor/monitor.c
index 00d287655e..2282bf6780 100644
--- a/monitor/monitor.c
+++ b/monitor/monitor.c
@@ -631,7 +631,7 @@ int monitor_init(MonitorOptions *opts, Error **errp)
             warn_report("'pretty' is deprecated for HMP monitors, it has no "
                         "effect and will be removed in future versions");
         }
-        monitor_init_hmp(chr, true);
+        monitor_init_hmp(chr, true, &local_err);
         break;
     default:
         g_assert_not_reached();
diff --git a/stubs/monitor.c b/stubs/monitor.c
index 9403f8e72c..20786ac4ff 100644
--- a/stubs/monitor.c
+++ b/stubs/monitor.c
@@ -9,7 +9,7 @@ int monitor_get_fd(Monitor *mon, const char *name, Error **errp)
     return -1;
 }
 
-void monitor_init_hmp(Chardev *chr, bool use_readline)
+void monitor_init_hmp(Chardev *chr, bool use_readline, Error **errp)
 {
 }
 
diff --git a/tests/test-util-sockets.c b/tests/test-util-sockets.c
index 2edb4c539d..5fd947c7bf 100644
--- a/tests/test-util-sockets.c
+++ b/tests/test-util-sockets.c
@@ -72,7 +72,7 @@ int monitor_get_fd(Monitor *mon, const char *fdname, Error **errp)
 __thread Monitor *cur_mon;
 int monitor_vprintf(Monitor *mon, const char *fmt, va_list ap) { abort(); }
 void monitor_init_qmp(Chardev *chr, bool pretty, Error **errp) {}
-void monitor_init_hmp(Chardev *chr, bool use_readline) {}
+void monitor_init_hmp(Chardev *chr, bool use_readline, Error **errp) {}
 
 
 static void test_socket_fd_pass_name_good(void)