diff --git a/hw/i386/xen/xen-hvm.c b/hw/i386/xen/xen-hvm.c
index f6e9a1bc86..006d219ad5 100644
--- a/hw/i386/xen/xen-hvm.c
+++ b/hw/i386/xen/xen-hvm.c
@@ -669,7 +669,7 @@ void xen_hvm_modified_memory(ram_addr_t start, ram_addr_t length)
 void qmp_xen_set_global_dirty_log(bool enable, Error **errp)
 {
     if (enable) {
-        memory_global_dirty_log_start(GLOBAL_DIRTY_MIGRATION);
+        memory_global_dirty_log_start(GLOBAL_DIRTY_MIGRATION, errp);
     } else {
         memory_global_dirty_log_stop(GLOBAL_DIRTY_MIGRATION);
     }
diff --git a/include/exec/memory.h b/include/exec/memory.h
index 5555567bc4..c129ee6db7 100644
--- a/include/exec/memory.h
+++ b/include/exec/memory.h
@@ -2570,8 +2570,11 @@ void memory_listener_unregister(MemoryListener *listener);
  * memory_global_dirty_log_start: begin dirty logging for all regions
  *
  * @flags: purpose of starting dirty log, migration or dirty rate
+ * @errp: pointer to Error*, to store an error if it happens.
+ *
+ * Return: true on success, else false setting @errp with error.
  */
-void memory_global_dirty_log_start(unsigned int flags);
+bool memory_global_dirty_log_start(unsigned int flags, Error **errp);
 
 /**
  * memory_global_dirty_log_stop: end dirty logging for all regions
diff --git a/migration/dirtyrate.c b/migration/dirtyrate.c
index 1d2e85746f..d02d70b7b4 100644
--- a/migration/dirtyrate.c
+++ b/migration/dirtyrate.c
@@ -90,9 +90,15 @@ static int64_t do_calculate_dirtyrate(DirtyPageRecord dirty_pages,
 
 void global_dirty_log_change(unsigned int flag, bool start)
 {
+    Error *local_err = NULL;
+    bool ret;
+
     bql_lock();
     if (start) {
-        memory_global_dirty_log_start(flag);
+        ret = memory_global_dirty_log_start(flag, &local_err);
+        if (!ret) {
+            error_report_err(local_err);
+        }
     } else {
         memory_global_dirty_log_stop(flag);
     }
@@ -608,9 +614,12 @@ static void calculate_dirtyrate_dirty_bitmap(struct DirtyRateConfig config)
 {
     int64_t start_time;
     DirtyPageRecord dirty_pages;
+    Error *local_err = NULL;
 
     bql_lock();
-    memory_global_dirty_log_start(GLOBAL_DIRTY_DIRTY_RATE);
+    if (!memory_global_dirty_log_start(GLOBAL_DIRTY_DIRTY_RATE, &local_err)) {
+        error_report_err(local_err);
+    }
 
     /*
      * 1'round of log sync may return all 1 bits with
diff --git a/migration/ram.c b/migration/ram.c
index f0bd71438a..bade3e9281 100644
--- a/migration/ram.c
+++ b/migration/ram.c
@@ -2862,18 +2862,32 @@ static void migration_bitmap_clear_discarded_pages(RAMState *rs)
 
 static void ram_init_bitmaps(RAMState *rs)
 {
+    Error *local_err = NULL;
+    bool ret = true;
+
     qemu_mutex_lock_ramlist();
 
     WITH_RCU_READ_LOCK_GUARD() {
         ram_list_init_bitmaps();
         /* We don't use dirty log with background snapshots */
         if (!migrate_background_snapshot()) {
-            memory_global_dirty_log_start(GLOBAL_DIRTY_MIGRATION);
+            ret = memory_global_dirty_log_start(GLOBAL_DIRTY_MIGRATION,
+                                                &local_err);
+            if (!ret) {
+                error_report_err(local_err);
+                goto out_unlock;
+            }
             migration_bitmap_sync_precopy(rs, false);
         }
     }
+out_unlock:
     qemu_mutex_unlock_ramlist();
 
+    if (!ret) {
+        ram_bitmaps_destroy();
+        return;
+    }
+
     /*
      * After an eventual first bitmap sync, fixup the initial bitmap
      * containing all 1s to exclude any discarded pages from migration.
@@ -3665,6 +3679,8 @@ int colo_init_ram_cache(void)
 void colo_incoming_start_dirty_log(void)
 {
     RAMBlock *block = NULL;
+    Error *local_err = NULL;
+
     /* For memory_global_dirty_log_start below. */
     bql_lock();
     qemu_mutex_lock_ramlist();
@@ -3676,7 +3692,10 @@ void colo_incoming_start_dirty_log(void)
             /* Discard this dirty bitmap record */
             bitmap_zero(block->bmap, block->max_length >> TARGET_PAGE_BITS);
         }
-        memory_global_dirty_log_start(GLOBAL_DIRTY_MIGRATION);
+        if (!memory_global_dirty_log_start(GLOBAL_DIRTY_MIGRATION,
+                                           &local_err)) {
+            error_report_err(local_err);
+        }
     }
     ram_state->migration_dirty_pages = 0;
     qemu_mutex_unlock_ramlist();
diff --git a/system/memory.c b/system/memory.c
index 86d6c33180..c02c1d4bed 100644
--- a/system/memory.c
+++ b/system/memory.c
@@ -2937,10 +2937,9 @@ err:
     return false;
 }
 
-void memory_global_dirty_log_start(unsigned int flags)
+bool memory_global_dirty_log_start(unsigned int flags, Error **errp)
 {
     unsigned int old_flags;
-    Error *local_err = NULL;
 
     assert(flags && !(flags & (~GLOBAL_DIRTY_MASK)));
 
@@ -2952,7 +2951,7 @@ void memory_global_dirty_log_start(unsigned int flags)
 
     flags &= ~global_dirty_tracking;
     if (!flags) {
-        return;
+        return true;
     }
 
     old_flags = global_dirty_tracking;
@@ -2960,17 +2959,17 @@ void memory_global_dirty_log_start(unsigned int flags)
     trace_global_dirty_changed(global_dirty_tracking);
 
     if (!old_flags) {
-        if (!memory_global_dirty_log_do_start(&local_err)) {
+        if (!memory_global_dirty_log_do_start(errp)) {
             global_dirty_tracking &= ~flags;
             trace_global_dirty_changed(global_dirty_tracking);
-            error_report_err(local_err);
-            return;
+            return false;
         }
 
         memory_region_transaction_begin();
         memory_region_update_pending = true;
         memory_region_transaction_commit();
     }
+    return true;
 }
 
 static void memory_global_dirty_log_do_stop(unsigned int flags)