diff --git a/include/sysemu/dma.h b/include/sysemu/dma.h
index c6e12b4c24..37cd9f1121 100644
--- a/include/sysemu/dma.h
+++ b/include/sysemu/dma.h
@@ -123,7 +123,20 @@ static inline int dma_memory_write(AddressSpace *as, dma_addr_t addr,
                          DMA_DIRECTION_FROM_DEVICE);
 }
 
-int dma_memory_set(AddressSpace *as, dma_addr_t addr, uint8_t c, dma_addr_t len);
+/**
+ * dma_memory_set: Fill memory with a constant byte from DMA controller.
+ *
+ * Return a MemTxResult indicating whether the operation succeeded
+ * or failed (eg unassigned memory, device rejected the transaction,
+ * IOMMU fault).
+ *
+ * @as: #AddressSpace to be accessed
+ * @addr: address within that address space
+ * @c: constant byte to fill the memory
+ * @len: the number of bytes to fill with the constant byte
+ */
+MemTxResult dma_memory_set(AddressSpace *as, dma_addr_t addr,
+                           uint8_t c, dma_addr_t len);
 
 /**
  * address_space_map: Map a physical memory region into a host virtual address.
diff --git a/softmmu/dma-helpers.c b/softmmu/dma-helpers.c
index 03c92e0cc6..29001b5459 100644
--- a/softmmu/dma-helpers.c
+++ b/softmmu/dma-helpers.c
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 /*
  * DMA helper functions
  *
- * Copyright (c) 2009 Red Hat
+ * Copyright (c) 2009,2020 Red Hat
  *
  * This work is licensed under the terms of the GNU General Public License
  * (GNU GPL), version 2 or later.
@@ -18,14 +18,15 @@
 
 /* #define DEBUG_IOMMU */
 
-int dma_memory_set(AddressSpace *as, dma_addr_t addr, uint8_t c, dma_addr_t len)
+MemTxResult dma_memory_set(AddressSpace *as, dma_addr_t addr,
+                           uint8_t c, dma_addr_t len)
 {
     dma_barrier(as, DMA_DIRECTION_FROM_DEVICE);
 
 #define FILLBUF_SIZE 512
     uint8_t fillbuf[FILLBUF_SIZE];
     int l;
-    bool error = false;
+    MemTxResult error = MEMTX_OK;
 
     memset(fillbuf, c, FILLBUF_SIZE);
     while (len > 0) {