diff --git a/include/qapi/qmp/qerror.h b/include/qapi/qmp/qerror.h
index 3eabd451d8..c272e3fc29 100644
--- a/include/qapi/qmp/qerror.h
+++ b/include/qapi/qmp/qerror.h
@@ -25,21 +25,12 @@
 #define QERR_DEVICE_HAS_NO_MEDIUM \
     "Device '%s' has no medium"
 
-#define QERR_DEVICE_INIT_FAILED \
-    "Device '%s' could not be initialized"
-
 #define QERR_DEVICE_IN_USE \
     "Device '%s' is in use"
 
 #define QERR_DEVICE_NO_HOTPLUG \
     "Device '%s' does not support hotplugging"
 
-#define QERR_FD_NOT_FOUND \
-    "File descriptor named '%s' not found"
-
-#define QERR_FD_NOT_SUPPLIED \
-    "No file descriptor supplied via SCM_RIGHTS"
-
 #define QERR_FEATURE_DISABLED \
     "The feature '%s' is not enabled"
 
diff --git a/monitor/misc.c b/monitor/misc.c
index 398211a034..c563e901c0 100644
--- a/monitor/misc.c
+++ b/monitor/misc.c
@@ -1232,7 +1232,7 @@ void qmp_getfd(const char *fdname, Error **errp)
 
     fd = qemu_chr_fe_get_msgfd(&cur_mon->chr);
     if (fd == -1) {
-        error_setg(errp, QERR_FD_NOT_SUPPLIED);
+        error_setg(errp, "No file descriptor supplied via SCM_RIGHTS");
         return;
     }
 
@@ -1286,7 +1286,7 @@ void qmp_closefd(const char *fdname, Error **errp)
     }
 
     qemu_mutex_unlock(&cur_mon->mon_lock);
-    error_setg(errp, QERR_FD_NOT_FOUND, fdname);
+    error_setg(errp, "File descriptor named '%s' not found", fdname);
 }
 
 int monitor_get_fd(Monitor *mon, const char *fdname, Error **errp)
@@ -1357,7 +1357,7 @@ AddfdInfo *qmp_add_fd(bool has_fdset_id, int64_t fdset_id, bool has_opaque,
 
     fd = qemu_chr_fe_get_msgfd(&mon->chr);
     if (fd == -1) {
-        error_setg(errp, QERR_FD_NOT_SUPPLIED);
+        error_setg(errp, "No file descriptor supplied via SCM_RIGHTS");
         goto error;
     }
 
@@ -1410,7 +1410,7 @@ error:
     } else {
         snprintf(fd_str, sizeof(fd_str), "fdset-id:%" PRId64, fdset_id);
     }
-    error_setg(errp, QERR_FD_NOT_FOUND, fd_str);
+    error_setg(errp, "File descriptor named '%s' not found", fd_str);
 }
 
 FdsetInfoList *qmp_query_fdsets(Error **errp)
diff --git a/net/net.c b/net/net.c
index 6a2c3d9567..e1035f21d1 100644
--- a/net/net.c
+++ b/net/net.c
@@ -1013,7 +1013,7 @@ static int net_client_init1(const Netdev *netdev, bool is_netdev, Error **errp)
     if (net_client_init_fun[netdev->type](netdev, netdev->id, peer, errp) < 0) {
         /* FIXME drop when all init functions store an Error */
         if (errp && !*errp) {
-            error_setg(errp, QERR_DEVICE_INIT_FAILED,
+            error_setg(errp, "Device '%s' could not be initialized",
                        NetClientDriver_str(netdev->type));
         }
         return -1;