diff --git a/arch_init.c b/arch_init.c
index 38f5fb9c22..d1383b3c43 100644
--- a/arch_init.c
+++ b/arch_init.c
@@ -258,9 +258,7 @@ void do_acpitable_option(const QemuOpts *opts)
 
     acpi_table_add(opts, &err);
     if (err) {
-        error_report("Wrong acpi table provided: %s",
-                     error_get_pretty(err));
-        error_free(err);
+        error_reportf_err(err, "Wrong acpi table provided: ");
         exit(1);
     }
 #endif
diff --git a/block/sheepdog.c b/block/sheepdog.c
index dd8301bdbd..6986be8151 100644
--- a/block/sheepdog.c
+++ b/block/sheepdog.c
@@ -2405,9 +2405,8 @@ static int sd_snapshot_create(BlockDriverState *bs, QEMUSnapshotInfo *sn_info)
 
     ret = do_sd_create(s, &new_vid, 1, &local_err);
     if (ret < 0) {
-        error_report("failed to create inode for snapshot: %s",
-                     error_get_pretty(local_err));
-        error_free(local_err);
+        error_reportf_err(local_err,
+                          "failed to create inode for snapshot: ");
         goto cleanup;
     }
 
diff --git a/blockdev.c b/blockdev.c
index 2df0c6d366..1392fffaaa 100644
--- a/blockdev.c
+++ b/blockdev.c
@@ -1582,13 +1582,11 @@ static void internal_snapshot_abort(BlkActionState *common)
     }
 
     if (bdrv_snapshot_delete(bs, sn->id_str, sn->name, &local_error) < 0) {
-        error_report("Failed to delete snapshot with id '%s' and name '%s' on "
-                     "device '%s' in abort: %s",
-                     sn->id_str,
-                     sn->name,
-                     bdrv_get_device_name(bs),
-                     error_get_pretty(local_error));
-        error_free(local_error);
+        error_reportf_err(local_error,
+                          "Failed to delete snapshot with id '%s' and "
+                          "name '%s' on device '%s' in abort: ",
+                          sn->id_str, sn->name,
+                          bdrv_get_device_name(bs));
     }
 }
 
diff --git a/hw/arm/cubieboard.c b/hw/arm/cubieboard.c
index bf068cd3cc..a71e43cf5f 100644
--- a/hw/arm/cubieboard.c
+++ b/hw/arm/cubieboard.c
@@ -39,27 +39,26 @@ static void cubieboard_init(MachineState *machine)
 
     object_property_set_int(OBJECT(&s->a10->emac), 1, "phy-addr", &err);
     if (err != NULL) {
-        error_report("Couldn't set phy address: %s", error_get_pretty(err));
+        error_reportf_err(err, "Couldn't set phy address: ");
         exit(1);
     }
 
     object_property_set_int(OBJECT(&s->a10->timer), 32768, "clk0-freq", &err);
     if (err != NULL) {
-        error_report("Couldn't set clk0 frequency: %s", error_get_pretty(err));
+        error_reportf_err(err, "Couldn't set clk0 frequency: ");
         exit(1);
     }
 
     object_property_set_int(OBJECT(&s->a10->timer), 24000000, "clk1-freq",
                             &err);
     if (err != NULL) {
-        error_report("Couldn't set clk1 frequency: %s", error_get_pretty(err));
+        error_reportf_err(err, "Couldn't set clk1 frequency: ");
         exit(1);
     }
 
     object_property_set_bool(OBJECT(s->a10), true, "realized", &err);
     if (err != NULL) {
-        error_report("Couldn't realize Allwinner A10: %s",
-                     error_get_pretty(err));
+        error_reportf_err(err, "Couldn't realize Allwinner A10: ");
         exit(1);
     }
 
diff --git a/hw/arm/digic_boards.c b/hw/arm/digic_boards.c
index 710045adca..dfaed257f5 100644
--- a/hw/arm/digic_boards.c
+++ b/hw/arm/digic_boards.c
@@ -64,8 +64,7 @@ static void digic4_board_init(DigicBoard *board)
     s->digic = DIGIC(object_new(TYPE_DIGIC));
     object_property_set_bool(OBJECT(s->digic), true, "realized", &err);
     if (err != NULL) {
-        error_report("Couldn't realize DIGIC SoC: %s",
-                     error_get_pretty(err));
+        error_reportf_err(err, "Couldn't realize DIGIC SoC: ");
         exit(1);
     }
 
diff --git a/hw/core/qdev-properties.c b/hw/core/qdev-properties.c
index fffb58efb3..3572810b42 100644
--- a/hw/core/qdev-properties.c
+++ b/hw/core/qdev-properties.c
@@ -1063,10 +1063,8 @@ static void qdev_prop_set_globals_for_type(DeviceState *dev,
         object_property_parse(OBJECT(dev), prop->value, prop->property, &err);
         if (err != NULL) {
             assert(prop->user_provided);
-            error_report("Warning: global %s.%s=%s ignored: %s",
-                         prop->driver, prop->property, prop->value,
-                         error_get_pretty(err));
-            error_free(err);
+            error_reportf_err(err, "Warning: global %s.%s=%s ignored: ",
+                              prop->driver, prop->property, prop->value);
             return;
         }
     }
diff --git a/hw/core/qdev.c b/hw/core/qdev.c
index 4e3173d81a..2c7101d91d 100644
--- a/hw/core/qdev.c
+++ b/hw/core/qdev.c
@@ -370,9 +370,8 @@ void qdev_init_nofail(DeviceState *dev)
 
     object_property_set_bool(OBJECT(dev), true, "realized", &err);
     if (err) {
-        error_report("Initialization of device %s failed: %s",
-                     object_get_typename(OBJECT(dev)),
-                     error_get_pretty(err));
+        error_reportf_err(err, "Initialization of device %s failed: ",
+                          object_get_typename(OBJECT(dev)));
         exit(1);
     }
 }
diff --git a/hw/i386/pc.c b/hw/i386/pc.c
index 166e8e2112..0e5c86ae1b 100644
--- a/hw/i386/pc.c
+++ b/hw/i386/pc.c
@@ -1253,9 +1253,8 @@ void pc_acpi_init(const char *default_dsdt)
 
         acpi_table_add_builtin(opts, &err);
         if (err) {
-            error_report("WARNING: failed to load %s: %s", filename,
-                         error_get_pretty(err));
-            error_free(err);
+            error_reportf_err(err, "WARNING: failed to load %s: ",
+                              filename);
         }
         g_free(filename);
     }
diff --git a/hw/ppc/e500.c b/hw/ppc/e500.c
index b3418dbae4..bd7da47fe2 100644
--- a/hw/ppc/e500.c
+++ b/hw/ppc/e500.c
@@ -751,8 +751,8 @@ static qemu_irq *ppce500_init_mpic(MachineState *machine, PPCE500Params *params,
             dev = ppce500_init_mpic_kvm(params, irqs, &err);
         }
         if (machine_kernel_irqchip_required(machine) && !dev) {
-            error_report("kernel_irqchip requested but unavailable: %s",
-                         error_get_pretty(err));
+            error_reportf_err(err,
+                              "kernel_irqchip requested but unavailable: ");
             exit(1);
         }
     }
diff --git a/hw/usb/bus.c b/hw/usb/bus.c
index ee6b43abc6..26ab67fc2a 100644
--- a/hw/usb/bus.c
+++ b/hw/usb/bus.c
@@ -725,9 +725,8 @@ USBDevice *usbdevice_create(const char *cmdline)
     }
     object_property_set_bool(OBJECT(dev), true, "realized", &err);
     if (err) {
-        error_report("Failed to initialize USB device '%s': %s",
-                     f->name, error_get_pretty(err));
-        error_free(err);
+        error_reportf_err(err, "Failed to initialize USB device '%s': ",
+                          f->name);
         object_unparent(OBJECT(dev));
         return NULL;
     }
diff --git a/qemu-img.c b/qemu-img.c
index f4f5540b87..a5949e6b05 100644
--- a/qemu-img.c
+++ b/qemu-img.c
@@ -213,9 +213,7 @@ static BlockBackend *img_open(const char *id, const char *filename,
 
     blk = blk_new_open(id, filename, NULL, options, flags, &local_err);
     if (!blk) {
-        error_report("Could not open '%s': %s", filename,
-                     error_get_pretty(local_err));
-        error_free(local_err);
+        error_reportf_err(local_err, "Could not open '%s': ", filename);
         goto fail;
     }
 
@@ -360,8 +358,7 @@ static int img_create(int argc, char **argv)
     bdrv_img_create(filename, fmt, base_filename, base_fmt,
                     options, img_size, BDRV_O_FLAGS, &local_err, quiet);
     if (local_err) {
-        error_report("%s: %s", filename, error_get_pretty(local_err));
-        error_free(local_err);
+        error_reportf_err(local_err, "%s: ", filename);
         goto fail;
     }
 
@@ -1711,9 +1708,7 @@ static int img_convert(int argc, char **argv)
         bdrv_snapshot_load_tmp_by_id_or_name(bs[0], snapshot_name, &local_err);
     }
     if (local_err) {
-        error_report("Failed to load snapshot: %s",
-                     error_get_pretty(local_err));
-        error_free(local_err);
+        error_reportf_err(local_err, "Failed to load snapshot: ");
         ret = -1;
         goto out;
     }
@@ -1809,9 +1804,8 @@ static int img_convert(int argc, char **argv)
         /* Create the new image */
         ret = bdrv_create(drv, out_filename, opts, &local_err);
         if (ret < 0) {
-            error_report("%s: error while converting %s: %s",
-                         out_filename, out_fmt, error_get_pretty(local_err));
-            error_free(local_err);
+            error_reportf_err(local_err, "%s: error while converting %s: ",
+                              out_filename, out_fmt);
             goto out;
         }
     }
@@ -2439,9 +2433,8 @@ static int img_snapshot(int argc, char **argv)
     case SNAPSHOT_DELETE:
         bdrv_snapshot_delete_by_id_or_name(bs, snapshot_name, &err);
         if (err) {
-            error_report("Could not delete snapshot '%s': %s",
-                         snapshot_name, error_get_pretty(err));
-            error_free(err);
+            error_reportf_err(err, "Could not delete snapshot '%s': ",
+                              snapshot_name);
             ret = 1;
         }
         break;
@@ -2574,9 +2567,9 @@ static int img_rebase(int argc, char **argv)
         blk_old_backing = blk_new_open("old_backing", backing_name, NULL,
                                        options, src_flags, &local_err);
         if (!blk_old_backing) {
-            error_report("Could not open old backing file '%s': %s",
-                         backing_name, error_get_pretty(local_err));
-            error_free(local_err);
+            error_reportf_err(local_err,
+                              "Could not open old backing file '%s': ",
+                              backing_name);
             goto out;
         }
 
@@ -2591,9 +2584,9 @@ static int img_rebase(int argc, char **argv)
             blk_new_backing = blk_new_open("new_backing", out_baseimg, NULL,
                                            options, src_flags, &local_err);
             if (!blk_new_backing) {
-                error_report("Could not open new backing file '%s': %s",
-                             out_baseimg, error_get_pretty(local_err));
-                error_free(local_err);
+                error_reportf_err(local_err,
+                                  "Could not open new backing file '%s': ",
+                                  out_baseimg);
                 goto out;
             }
         }
diff --git a/qemu-nbd.c b/qemu-nbd.c
index b8be3bc582..f9fce4a57a 100644
--- a/qemu-nbd.c
+++ b/qemu-nbd.c
@@ -495,8 +495,8 @@ int main(int argc, char **argv)
                                 BLOCKDEV_DETECT_ZEROES_OPTIONS_OFF,
                                 &local_err);
             if (local_err) {
-                error_report("Failed to parse detect_zeroes mode: %s",
-                             error_get_pretty(local_err));
+                error_reportf_err(local_err,
+                                  "Failed to parse detect_zeroes mode: ");
                 exit(EXIT_FAILURE);
             }
             if (detect_zeroes == BLOCKDEV_DETECT_ZEROES_OPTIONS_UNMAP &&
@@ -703,8 +703,8 @@ int main(int argc, char **argv)
     srcpath = argv[optind];
     blk = blk_new_open("hda", srcpath, NULL, options, flags, &local_err);
     if (!blk) {
-        error_report("Failed to blk_new_open '%s': %s", argv[optind],
-                     error_get_pretty(local_err));
+        error_reportf_err(local_err, "Failed to blk_new_open '%s': ",
+                          argv[optind]);
         exit(EXIT_FAILURE);
     }
     bs = blk_bs(blk);
@@ -719,8 +719,7 @@ int main(int argc, char **argv)
                                                    &local_err);
     }
     if (ret < 0) {
-        error_report("Failed to load snapshot: %s",
-                     error_get_pretty(local_err));
+        error_reportf_err(local_err, "Failed to load snapshot: ");
         exit(EXIT_FAILURE);
     }
 
diff --git a/replay/replay.c b/replay/replay.c
index 0d33e82c95..e4673b3d92 100644
--- a/replay/replay.c
+++ b/replay/replay.c
@@ -291,8 +291,7 @@ void replay_start(void)
     }
 
     if (replay_blockers) {
-        error_report("Record/replay: %s",
-                     error_get_pretty(replay_blockers->data));
+        error_reportf_err(replay_blockers->data, "Record/replay: ");
         exit(1);
     }
     if (!use_icount) {
diff --git a/tests/test-aio.c b/tests/test-aio.c
index f0b447ea42..6ccea98977 100644
--- a/tests/test-aio.c
+++ b/tests/test-aio.c
@@ -832,9 +832,7 @@ int main(int argc, char **argv)
 
     ctx = aio_context_new(&local_error);
     if (!ctx) {
-        error_report("Failed to create AIO Context: %s",
-                     error_get_pretty(local_error));
-        error_free(local_error);
+        error_reportf_err(local_error, "Failed to create AIO Context: ");
         exit(1);
     }
     src = aio_get_g_source(ctx);
diff --git a/tests/test-thread-pool.c b/tests/test-thread-pool.c
index 153b8f5870..ccdee39993 100644
--- a/tests/test-thread-pool.c
+++ b/tests/test-thread-pool.c
@@ -229,9 +229,7 @@ int main(int argc, char **argv)
 
     ctx = aio_context_new(&local_error);
     if (!ctx) {
-        error_report("Failed to create AIO Context: %s",
-                     error_get_pretty(local_error));
-        error_free(local_error);
+        error_reportf_err(local_error, "Failed to create AIO Context: ");
         exit(1);
     }
     pool = aio_get_thread_pool(ctx);
diff --git a/ui/vnc.c b/ui/vnc.c
index 09756cd7cc..54673eb8c7 100644
--- a/ui/vnc.c
+++ b/ui/vnc.c
@@ -3861,9 +3861,7 @@ int vnc_init_func(void *opaque, QemuOpts *opts, Error **errp)
     vnc_display_init(id);
     vnc_display_open(id, &local_err);
     if (local_err != NULL) {
-        error_report("Failed to start VNC server: %s",
-                     error_get_pretty(local_err));
-        error_free(local_err);
+        error_reportf_err(local_err, "Failed to start VNC server: ");
         exit(1);
     }
     return 0;
diff --git a/vl.c b/vl.c
index 7548fa2490..20a367b123 100644
--- a/vl.c
+++ b/vl.c
@@ -3043,7 +3043,7 @@ int main(int argc, char **argv, char **envp)
     runstate_init();
 
     if (qcrypto_init(&err) < 0) {
-        error_report("cannot initialize crypto: %s", error_get_pretty(err));
+        error_reportf_err(err, "cannot initialize crypto: ");
         exit(1);
     }
     rtc_clock = QEMU_CLOCK_HOST;
@@ -4649,9 +4649,7 @@ int main(int argc, char **argv, char **envp)
         Error *local_err = NULL;
         qemu_start_incoming_migration(incoming, &local_err);
         if (local_err) {
-            error_report("-incoming %s: %s", incoming,
-                         error_get_pretty(local_err));
-            error_free(local_err);
+            error_reportf_err(local_err, "-incoming %s: ", incoming);
             exit(1);
         }
     } else if (autostart) {