diff --git a/target/s390x/cpu_models.c b/target/s390x/cpu_models.c
index 8ed3bb6..8cb47d9 100644
--- a/target/s390x/cpu_models.c
+++ b/target/s390x/cpu_models.c
@@ -510,7 +510,7 @@
     return;
 }
 
-static void check_compatibility(const S390CPUModel *max_model,
+static bool check_compatibility(const S390CPUModel *max_model,
                                 const S390CPUModel *model, Error **errp)
 {
     ERRP_GUARD();
@@ -518,11 +518,11 @@
 
     if (model->def->gen > max_model->def->gen) {
         check_compat_model_failed(errp, max_model, "Selected CPU generation is too new");
-        return;
+        return false;
     } else if (model->def->gen == max_model->def->gen &&
                model->def->ec_ga > max_model->def->ec_ga) {
         check_compat_model_failed(errp, max_model, "Selected CPU GA level is too new");
-        return;
+        return false;
     }
 
 #ifndef CONFIG_USER_ONLY
@@ -530,14 +530,14 @@
         error_setg(errp, "The unpack facility is not compatible with "
                    "the --only-migratable option. You must remove either "
                    "the 'unpack' facility or the --only-migratable option");
-        return;
+        return false;
     }
 #endif
 
     /* detect the missing features to properly report them */
     bitmap_andnot(missing, model->features, max_model->features, S390_FEAT_MAX);
     if (bitmap_empty(missing, S390_FEAT_MAX)) {
-        return;
+        return true;
     }
 
     error_setg(errp, " ");
@@ -546,6 +546,7 @@
                   "available in the current configuration: ");
     error_append_hint(errp,
                       "Consider a different accelerator, QEMU, or kernel version\n");
+    return false;
 }
 
 S390CPUModel *get_max_cpu_model(Error **errp)
@@ -605,8 +606,7 @@
     cpu->model->cpu_ver = max_model->cpu_ver;
 
     check_consistency(cpu->model);
-    check_compatibility(max_model, cpu->model, &err);
-    if (err) {
+    if (!check_compatibility(max_model, cpu->model, &err)) {
         error_propagate(errp, err);
         return;
     }