diff --git a/hw/vfio-user/proxy.c b/hw/vfio-user/proxy.c
index 2275d3f..2c03d49 100644
--- a/hw/vfio-user/proxy.c
+++ b/hw/vfio-user/proxy.c
@@ -885,7 +885,7 @@
 
     sioc = qio_channel_socket_new();
     ioc = QIO_CHANNEL(sioc);
-    if (qio_channel_socket_connect_sync(sioc, addr, errp)) {
+    if (qio_channel_socket_connect_sync(sioc, addr, errp) < 0) {
         object_unref(OBJECT(ioc));
         return NULL;
     }
diff --git a/scsi/pr-manager-helper.c b/scsi/pr-manager-helper.c
index 6b86f01..aea751f 100644
--- a/scsi/pr-manager-helper.c
+++ b/scsi/pr-manager-helper.c
@@ -105,20 +105,15 @@
         .u.q_unix.path = path
     };
     QIOChannelSocket *sioc = qio_channel_socket_new();
-    Error *local_err = NULL;
-
     uint32_t flags;
     int r;
 
     assert(!pr_mgr->ioc);
     qio_channel_set_name(QIO_CHANNEL(sioc), "pr-manager-helper");
-    qio_channel_socket_connect_sync(sioc,
-                                    &saddr,
-                                    &local_err);
+    r = qio_channel_socket_connect_sync(sioc, &saddr, errp);
     g_free(path);
-    if (local_err) {
+    if (r < 0) {
         object_unref(OBJECT(sioc));
-        error_propagate(errp, local_err);
         return -ENOTCONN;
     }
 
diff --git a/ui/input-barrier.c b/ui/input-barrier.c
index 9793258..0a2198c 100644
--- a/ui/input-barrier.c
+++ b/ui/input-barrier.c
@@ -490,7 +490,6 @@
 static void input_barrier_complete(UserCreatable *uc, Error **errp)
 {
     InputBarrier *ib = INPUT_BARRIER(uc);
-    Error *local_err = NULL;
 
     if (!ib->name) {
         error_setg(errp, QERR_MISSING_PARAMETER, "name");
@@ -506,9 +505,7 @@
     ib->sioc = qio_channel_socket_new();
     qio_channel_set_name(QIO_CHANNEL(ib->sioc), "barrier-client");
 
-    qio_channel_socket_connect_sync(ib->sioc, &ib->saddr, &local_err);
-    if (local_err) {
-        error_propagate(errp, local_err);
+    if (qio_channel_socket_connect_sync(ib->sioc, &ib->saddr, errp) < 0) {
         return;
     }