diff --git a/qapi/qmp-dispatch.c b/qapi/qmp-dispatch.c
index 187af56b86..168b083c87 100644
--- a/qapi/qmp-dispatch.c
+++ b/qapi/qmp-dispatch.c
@@ -62,6 +62,7 @@ static QDict *qmp_dispatch_check_obj(const QObject *request, Error **errp)
 
 static QObject *do_qmp_dispatch(QObject *request, Error **errp)
 {
+    Error *local_err = NULL;
     const char *command;
     QDict *args, *dict;
     QmpCommand *cmd;
@@ -93,13 +94,13 @@ static QObject *do_qmp_dispatch(QObject *request, Error **errp)
 
     switch (cmd->type) {
     case QCT_NORMAL:
-        cmd->fn(args, &ret, errp);
-        if (!error_is_set(errp)) {
-            if (cmd->options & QCO_NO_SUCCESS_RESP) {
-                g_assert(!ret);
-            } else if (!ret) {
-                ret = QOBJECT(qdict_new());
-            }
+        cmd->fn(args, &ret, &local_err);
+        if (local_err) {
+            error_propagate(errp, local_err);
+        } else if (cmd->options & QCO_NO_SUCCESS_RESP) {
+            g_assert(!ret);
+        } else if (!ret) {
+            ret = QOBJECT(qdict_new());
         }
         break;
     }