diff --git a/cpu-exec.c b/cpu-exec.c
index 624c409f7b..24607fbed5 100644
--- a/cpu-exec.c
+++ b/cpu-exec.c
@@ -156,12 +156,9 @@ static inline TranslationBlock *tb_find_fast(CPUArchState *env)
 
 static CPUDebugExcpHandler *debug_excp_handler;
 
-CPUDebugExcpHandler *cpu_set_debug_excp_handler(CPUDebugExcpHandler *handler)
+void cpu_set_debug_excp_handler(CPUDebugExcpHandler *handler)
 {
-    CPUDebugExcpHandler *old_handler = debug_excp_handler;
-
     debug_excp_handler = handler;
-    return old_handler;
 }
 
 static void cpu_handle_debug_exception(CPUArchState *env)
diff --git a/exec-all.h b/exec-all.h
index 9bda7f7354..c5ec8e1158 100644
--- a/exec-all.h
+++ b/exec-all.h
@@ -357,7 +357,7 @@ tb_page_addr_t get_page_addr_code(CPUArchState *env1, target_ulong addr);
 
 typedef void (CPUDebugExcpHandler)(CPUArchState *env);
 
-CPUDebugExcpHandler *cpu_set_debug_excp_handler(CPUDebugExcpHandler *handler);
+void cpu_set_debug_excp_handler(CPUDebugExcpHandler *handler);
 
 /* vl.c */
 extern int singlestep;