diff --git a/chardev/char-fe.c b/chardev/char-fe.c
index 20222a4cad..66cee8475a 100644
--- a/chardev/char-fe.c
+++ b/chardev/char-fe.c
@@ -199,13 +199,18 @@ bool qemu_chr_fe_init(CharBackend *b, Chardev *s, Error **errp)
             MuxChardev *d = MUX_CHARDEV(s);
 
             if (d->mux_cnt >= MAX_MUX) {
-                goto unavailable;
+                error_setg(errp,
+                           "too many uses of multiplexed chardev '%s'"
+                           " (maximum is " stringify(MAX_MUX) ")",
+                           s->label);
+                return false;
             }
 
             d->backends[d->mux_cnt] = b;
             tag = d->mux_cnt++;
         } else if (s->be) {
-            goto unavailable;
+            error_setg(errp, "chardev '%s' is already in use", s->label);
+            return false;
         } else {
             s->be = b;
         }
@@ -215,10 +220,6 @@ bool qemu_chr_fe_init(CharBackend *b, Chardev *s, Error **errp)
     b->tag = tag;
     b->chr = s;
     return true;
-
-unavailable:
-    error_setg(errp, QERR_DEVICE_IN_USE, s->label);
-    return false;
 }
 
 void qemu_chr_fe_deinit(CharBackend *b, bool del)