diff --git a/util/vfio-helpers.c b/util/vfio-helpers.c
index 911115b86e..1d14913629 100644
--- a/util/vfio-helpers.c
+++ b/util/vfio-helpers.c
@@ -660,13 +660,13 @@ static bool qemu_vfio_verify_mappings(QEMUVFIOState *s)
     if (QEMU_VFIO_DEBUG) {
         for (i = 0; i < s->nr_mappings - 1; ++i) {
             if (!(s->mappings[i].host < s->mappings[i + 1].host)) {
-                fprintf(stderr, "item %d not sorted!\n", i);
+                error_report("item %d not sorted!", i);
                 qemu_vfio_dump_mappings(s);
                 return false;
             }
             if (!(s->mappings[i].host + s->mappings[i].size <=
                   s->mappings[i + 1].host)) {
-                fprintf(stderr, "item %d overlap with next!\n", i);
+                error_report("item %d overlap with next!", i);
                 qemu_vfio_dump_mappings(s);
                 return false;
             }