diff --git a/qemu-option.c b/qemu-option.c
index 7af2b50a43..1cddb9d545 100644
--- a/qemu-option.c
+++ b/qemu-option.c
@@ -669,6 +669,12 @@ int qemu_opt_set(QemuOpts *opts, const char *name, const char *value)
     return 0;
 }
 
+void qemu_opt_set_err(QemuOpts *opts, const char *name, const char *value,
+                      Error **errp)
+{
+    opt_set(opts, name, value, false, errp);
+}
+
 int qemu_opt_set_bool(QemuOpts *opts, const char *name, bool val)
 {
     QemuOpt *opt;
diff --git a/qemu-option.h b/qemu-option.h
index e9fbbb56b6..c0e022bf40 100644
--- a/qemu-option.h
+++ b/qemu-option.h
@@ -111,6 +111,8 @@ bool qemu_opt_get_bool(QemuOpts *opts, const char *name, bool defval);
 uint64_t qemu_opt_get_number(QemuOpts *opts, const char *name, uint64_t defval);
 uint64_t qemu_opt_get_size(QemuOpts *opts, const char *name, uint64_t defval);
 int qemu_opt_set(QemuOpts *opts, const char *name, const char *value);
+void qemu_opt_set_err(QemuOpts *opts, const char *name, const char *value,
+                      Error **errp);
 int qemu_opt_set_bool(QemuOpts *opts, const char *name, bool val);
 typedef int (*qemu_opt_loopfunc)(const char *name, const char *value, void *opaque);
 int qemu_opt_foreach(QemuOpts *opts, qemu_opt_loopfunc func, void *opaque,