diff --git a/hw/core/qdev.c b/hw/core/qdev.c
index 96772a15bd..74db78df36 100644
--- a/hw/core/qdev.c
+++ b/hw/core/qdev.c
@@ -94,13 +94,23 @@ static void bus_add_child(BusState *bus, DeviceState *child)
                              0);
 }
 
-void qdev_set_parent_bus(DeviceState *dev, BusState *bus)
+static bool bus_check_address(BusState *bus, DeviceState *child, Error **errp)
+{
+    BusClass *bc = BUS_GET_CLASS(bus);
+    return !bc->check_address || bc->check_address(bus, child, errp);
+}
+
+bool qdev_set_parent_bus(DeviceState *dev, BusState *bus, Error **errp)
 {
     BusState *old_parent_bus = dev->parent_bus;
     DeviceClass *dc = DEVICE_GET_CLASS(dev);
 
     assert(dc->bus_type && object_dynamic_cast(OBJECT(bus), dc->bus_type));
 
+    if (!bus_check_address(bus, dev, errp)) {
+        return false;
+    }
+
     if (old_parent_bus) {
         trace_qdev_update_parent_bus(dev, object_get_typename(OBJECT(dev)),
             old_parent_bus, object_get_typename(OBJECT(old_parent_bus)),
@@ -126,6 +136,7 @@ void qdev_set_parent_bus(DeviceState *dev, BusState *bus)
         object_unref(OBJECT(old_parent_bus));
         object_unref(OBJECT(dev));
     }
+    return true;
 }
 
 DeviceState *qdev_new(const char *name)
@@ -371,7 +382,9 @@ bool qdev_realize(DeviceState *dev, BusState *bus, Error **errp)
     assert(!dev->realized && !dev->parent_bus);
 
     if (bus) {
-        qdev_set_parent_bus(dev, bus);
+        if (!qdev_set_parent_bus(dev, bus, errp)) {
+            return false;
+        }
     } else {
         assert(!DEVICE_GET_CLASS(dev)->bus_type);
     }
diff --git a/hw/net/virtio-net.c b/hw/net/virtio-net.c
index a160a9da9c..277289d56e 100644
--- a/hw/net/virtio-net.c
+++ b/hw/net/virtio-net.c
@@ -3138,7 +3138,7 @@ static bool failover_replug_primary(VirtIONet *n, Error **errp)
         error_setg(errp, "virtio_net: couldn't find primary bus");
         return false;
     }
-    qdev_set_parent_bus(n->primary_dev, n->primary_bus);
+    qdev_set_parent_bus(n->primary_dev, n->primary_bus, &error_abort);
     n->primary_should_be_hidden = false;
     if (!qemu_opt_set_bool(n->primary_device_opts,
                            "partially_hotplugged", true, errp)) {
diff --git a/hw/sd/core.c b/hw/sd/core.c
index 957d116f1a..08c93b5903 100644
--- a/hw/sd/core.c
+++ b/hw/sd/core.c
@@ -23,6 +23,7 @@
 #include "hw/qdev-core.h"
 #include "hw/sd/sd.h"
 #include "qemu/module.h"
+#include "qapi/error.h"
 #include "trace.h"
 
 static inline const char *sdbus_name(SDBus *sdbus)
@@ -240,7 +241,7 @@ void sdbus_reparent_card(SDBus *from, SDBus *to)
     readonly = sc->get_readonly(card);
 
     sdbus_set_inserted(from, false);
-    qdev_set_parent_bus(DEVICE(card), &to->qbus);
+    qdev_set_parent_bus(DEVICE(card), &to->qbus, &error_abort);
     sdbus_set_inserted(to, true);
     sdbus_set_readonly(to, readonly);
 }
diff --git a/include/hw/qdev-core.h b/include/hw/qdev-core.h
index 72064f4dd4..14d476c587 100644
--- a/include/hw/qdev-core.h
+++ b/include/hw/qdev-core.h
@@ -210,13 +210,24 @@ struct BusClass {
     /* FIXME first arg should be BusState */
     void (*print_dev)(Monitor *mon, DeviceState *dev, int indent);
     char *(*get_dev_path)(DeviceState *dev);
+
     /*
      * This callback is used to create Open Firmware device path in accordance
      * with OF spec http://forthworks.com/standards/of1275.pdf. Individual bus
      * bindings can be found at http://playground.sun.com/1275/bindings/.
      */
     char *(*get_fw_dev_path)(DeviceState *dev);
+
     void (*reset)(BusState *bus);
+
+    /*
+     * Return whether the device can be added to @bus,
+     * based on the address that was set (via device properties)
+     * before realize.  If not, on return @errp contains the
+     * human-readable error message.
+     */
+    bool (*check_address)(BusState *bus, DeviceState *dev, Error **errp);
+
     BusRealize realize;
     BusUnrealize unrealize;
 
@@ -788,7 +799,7 @@ const char *qdev_fw_name(DeviceState *dev);
 Object *qdev_get_machine(void);
 
 /* FIXME: make this a link<> */
-void qdev_set_parent_bus(DeviceState *dev, BusState *bus);
+bool qdev_set_parent_bus(DeviceState *dev, BusState *bus, Error **errp);
 
 extern bool qdev_hotplug;
 extern bool qdev_hot_removed;