diff --git a/migration/channel-block.c b/migration/channel-block.c
index c55c8c93ce..f4ab53acdb 100644
--- a/migration/channel-block.c
+++ b/migration/channel-block.c
@@ -62,7 +62,8 @@ qio_channel_block_readv(QIOChannel *ioc,
     qemu_iovec_init_external(&qiov, (struct iovec *)iov, niov);
     ret = bdrv_readv_vmstate(bioc->bs, &qiov, bioc->offset);
     if (ret < 0) {
-        return ret;
+        error_setg_errno(errp, -ret, "bdrv_readv_vmstate failed");
+        return -1;
     }
 
     bioc->offset += qiov.size;
@@ -86,7 +87,8 @@ qio_channel_block_writev(QIOChannel *ioc,
     qemu_iovec_init_external(&qiov, (struct iovec *)iov, niov);
     ret = bdrv_writev_vmstate(bioc->bs, &qiov, bioc->offset);
     if (ret < 0) {
-        return ret;
+        error_setg_errno(errp, -ret, "bdrv_writev_vmstate failed");
+        return -1;
     }
 
     bioc->offset += qiov.size;