diff --git a/vm-virtio/src/lib.rs b/vm-virtio/src/lib.rs
index 0b7724ab4..903ba631f 100755
--- a/vm-virtio/src/lib.rs
+++ b/vm-virtio/src/lib.rs
@@ -180,6 +180,8 @@ pub enum Error {
         event: DeviceEventT,
     },
     IoError(io::Error),
+    RegisterListener(io::Error),
+    UnregisterListener(io::Error),
     EpollCreateFd(io::Error),
     EpollCtl(io::Error),
     EpollWait(io::Error),
diff --git a/vm-virtio/src/net.rs b/vm-virtio/src/net.rs
index fdc1cc451..fe24f95ae 100644
--- a/vm-virtio/src/net.rs
+++ b/vm-virtio/src/net.rs
@@ -84,7 +84,7 @@ impl NetEpollHandler {
                     epoll::Events::EPOLLIN,
                     u64::from(RX_TAP_EVENT),
                 )
-                .unwrap();
+                .map_err(DeviceError::UnregisterListener)?;
                 self.rx_tap_listening = false;
             }
             return false;
@@ -134,7 +134,7 @@ impl NetEpollHandler {
                 epoll::Events::EPOLLIN,
                 u64::from(RX_TAP_EVENT),
             )
-            .unwrap();
+            .map_err(DeviceError::RegisterListener)?;
             self.rx_tap_listening = true;
         }
         if self.rx.deferred_frame {