diff --git a/blockdev.c b/blockdev.c
index b250b9b..cd438e6 100644
--- a/blockdev.c
+++ b/blockdev.c
@@ -1432,6 +1432,7 @@
 static void external_snapshot_prepare(BlkActionState *common,
                                       Error **errp)
 {
+    int ret;
     int flags = 0;
     QDict *options = NULL;
     Error *local_err = NULL;
@@ -1591,9 +1592,8 @@
      * can fail, so we need to do it in .prepare; undoing it for abort is
      * always possible. */
     bdrv_ref(state->new_bs);
-    bdrv_append(state->new_bs, state->old_bs, &local_err);
-    if (local_err) {
-        error_propagate(errp, local_err);
+    ret = bdrv_append(state->new_bs, state->old_bs, errp);
+    if (ret < 0) {
         goto out;
     }
     state->overlay_appended = true;