diff --git a/hw/core/machine.c b/hw/core/machine.c
index da699cf4e1..db0c263ff6 100644
--- a/hw/core/machine.c
+++ b/hw/core/machine.c
@@ -1355,6 +1355,7 @@ out:
 
 void machine_run_board_init(MachineState *machine, const char *mem_path, Error **errp)
 {
+    ERRP_GUARD();
     MachineClass *machine_class = MACHINE_GET_CLASS(machine);
     ObjectClass *oc = object_class_by_name(machine->cpu_type);
     CPUClass *cc;
@@ -1383,9 +1384,13 @@ void machine_run_board_init(MachineState *machine, const char *mem_path, Error *
                numa_uses_legacy_mem()) {
         if (object_property_find(object_get_objects_root(),
                                  machine_class->default_ram_id)) {
-            error_setg(errp, "object name '%s' is reserved for the default"
-                " RAM backend, it can't be used for any other purposes."
-                " Change the object's 'id' to something else",
+            error_setg(errp, "object's id '%s' is reserved for the default"
+                " RAM backend, it can't be used for any other purposes",
+                machine_class->default_ram_id);
+            error_append_hint(errp,
+                "Change the object's 'id' to something else or disable"
+                " automatic creation of the default RAM backend by setting"
+                " 'memory-backend=%s' with '-machine'.\n",
                 machine_class->default_ram_id);
             return;
         }