diff --git a/src/conf/domain_conf.c b/src/conf/domain_conf.c
index d2206085fd..08b8e28c4e 100644
--- a/src/conf/domain_conf.c
+++ b/src/conf/domain_conf.c
@@ -2733,11 +2733,10 @@ virDomainChrSourceDefClear(virDomainChrSourceDef *def)
 }
 
 /* Almost deep copies the contents of src into dest. Some parts are not copied
- * though.
- * Returns -1 and report error on failure.  */
-int
+ * though. */
+void
 virDomainChrSourceDefCopy(virDomainChrSourceDef *dest,
-                          virDomainChrSourceDef *src)
+                          const virDomainChrSourceDef *src)
 {
     virDomainChrSourceDefClear(dest);
 
@@ -2800,8 +2799,6 @@ virDomainChrSourceDefCopy(virDomainChrSourceDef *dest,
     case VIR_DOMAIN_CHR_TYPE_LAST:
         break;
     }
-
-    return 0;
 }
 
 static void
diff --git a/src/conf/domain_conf.h b/src/conf/domain_conf.h
index 8f47adfc8f..3768d82fef 100644
--- a/src/conf/domain_conf.h
+++ b/src/conf/domain_conf.h
@@ -3348,8 +3348,8 @@ void virDomainSmartcardDefFree(virDomainSmartcardDef *def);
 G_DEFINE_AUTOPTR_CLEANUP_FUNC(virDomainSmartcardDef, virDomainSmartcardDefFree);
 void virDomainChrDefFree(virDomainChrDef *def);
 G_DEFINE_AUTOPTR_CLEANUP_FUNC(virDomainChrDef, virDomainChrDefFree);
-int virDomainChrSourceDefCopy(virDomainChrSourceDef *dest,
-                              virDomainChrSourceDef *src)
+void virDomainChrSourceDefCopy(virDomainChrSourceDef *dest,
+                               const virDomainChrSourceDef *src)
     ATTRIBUTE_NONNULL(1) ATTRIBUTE_NONNULL(2);
 void virDomainSoundCodecDefFree(virDomainSoundCodecDef *def);
 ssize_t virDomainSoundDefFind(const virDomainDef *def,
diff --git a/src/qemu/qemu_process.c b/src/qemu/qemu_process.c
index b8c70da566..fa6a5e5e7d 100644
--- a/src/qemu/qemu_process.c
+++ b/src/qemu/qemu_process.c
@@ -2129,9 +2129,8 @@ qemuProcessFindCharDevicePTYsMonitor(virDomainObj *vm,
             chr->targetType == VIR_DOMAIN_CHR_CONSOLE_TARGET_TYPE_SERIAL) {
             /* yes, the first console is just an alias for serials[0] */
             i = 1;
-            if (virDomainChrSourceDefCopy(chr->source,
-                                          ((vm->def->serials[0])->source)) < 0)
-                return -1;
+            virDomainChrSourceDefCopy(chr->source,
+                                      ((vm->def->serials[0])->source));
         }
     }