diff --git a/include/qemu/log.h b/include/qemu/log.h
index ed59ebd4a2..fabfbe41da 100644
--- a/include/qemu/log.h
+++ b/include/qemu/log.h
@@ -148,7 +148,7 @@ typedef struct QEMULogItem {
 extern const QEMULogItem qemu_log_items[];
 
 void qemu_set_log(int log_flags);
-void qemu_set_log_filename(const char *filename, Error **errp);
+bool qemu_set_log_filename(const char *filename, Error **errp);
 void qemu_set_dfilter_ranges(const char *ranges, Error **errp);
 bool qemu_log_in_addr_range(uint64_t addr);
 int qemu_str_to_log_mask(const char *str);
diff --git a/monitor/misc.c b/monitor/misc.c
index b0fc0e5843..4b68fcd346 100644
--- a/monitor/misc.c
+++ b/monitor/misc.c
@@ -419,8 +419,7 @@ static void hmp_logfile(Monitor *mon, const QDict *qdict)
 {
     Error *err = NULL;
 
-    qemu_set_log_filename(qdict_get_str(qdict, "filename"), &err);
-    if (err) {
+    if (!qemu_set_log_filename(qdict_get_str(qdict, "filename"), &err)) {
         error_report_err(err);
     }
 }
diff --git a/util/log.c b/util/log.c
index ffa66a267e..a838686a18 100644
--- a/util/log.c
+++ b/util/log.c
@@ -138,7 +138,7 @@ void qemu_set_log(int log_flags)
  *
  * filename may be NULL. In that case, log output is sent to stderr
  */
-void qemu_set_log_filename(const char *filename, Error **errp)
+bool qemu_set_log_filename(const char *filename, Error **errp)
 {
     g_free(logfilename);
     logfilename = NULL;
@@ -149,7 +149,7 @@ void qemu_set_log_filename(const char *filename, Error **errp)
                 /* We only accept one %d, no other format strings */
                 if (pidstr[1] != 'd' || strchr(pidstr + 2, '%')) {
                     error_setg(errp, "Bad logfile format: %s", filename);
-                    return;
+                    return false;
                 } else {
                     logfilename = g_strdup_printf(filename, getpid());
                 }
@@ -160,6 +160,7 @@ void qemu_set_log_filename(const char *filename, Error **errp)
 
     qemu_log_close();
     qemu_set_log(qemu_loglevel);
+    return true;
 }
 
 /* Returns true if addr is in our debug filter or no filter defined