diff --git a/src/conf/domain_conf.c b/src/conf/domain_conf.c
index fb5a5cc351..ea6fb1e48d 100644
--- a/src/conf/domain_conf.c
+++ b/src/conf/domain_conf.c
@@ -17780,11 +17780,8 @@ virDomainResctrlMonDefParse(virDomainDef *def,
 
     ctxt->node = node;
 
-    if ((n = virXPathNodeSet("./monitor", ctxt, &nodes)) < 0) {
-        virReportError(VIR_ERR_INTERNAL_ERROR, "%s",
-                       _("Cannot extract monitor nodes"));
+    if ((n = virXPathNodeSet("./monitor", ctxt, &nodes)) < 0)
         goto cleanup;
-    }
 
     for (i = 0; i < n; i++) {
         domresmon = g_new0(virDomainResctrlMonDef, 1);
@@ -17912,11 +17909,8 @@ virDomainCachetuneDefParse(virDomainDef *def,
     if (virBitmapIsAllClear(vcpus))
         return 0;
 
-    if ((n = virXPathNodeSet("./cache", ctxt, &nodes)) < 0) {
-        virReportError(VIR_ERR_INTERNAL_ERROR, "%s",
-                       _("Cannot extract cache nodes under cachetune"));
+    if ((n = virXPathNodeSet("./cache", ctxt, &nodes)) < 0)
         return -1;
-    }
 
     if (virDomainResctrlVcpuMatch(def, vcpus, &resctrl) < 0)
         return -1;
@@ -18182,11 +18176,8 @@ virDomainDefParseMemory(virDomainDef *def,
 
     if (virXPathNode("./memoryBacking/hugepages", ctxt)) {
         /* hugepages will be used */
-        if ((n = virXPathNodeSet("./memoryBacking/hugepages/page", ctxt, &nodes)) < 0) {
-            virReportError(VIR_ERR_INTERNAL_ERROR, "%s",
-                           _("cannot extract hugepages nodes"));
+        if ((n = virXPathNodeSet("./memoryBacking/hugepages/page", ctxt, &nodes)) < 0)
             return -1;
-        }
 
         if (n) {
             def->mem.hugepages = g_new0(virDomainHugePage, n);
@@ -18270,11 +18261,8 @@ virDomainMemorytuneDefParse(virDomainDef *def,
     if (virBitmapIsAllClear(vcpus))
         return 0;
 
-    if ((n = virXPathNodeSet("./node", ctxt, &nodes)) < 0) {
-        virReportError(VIR_ERR_INTERNAL_ERROR, "%s",
-                       _("Cannot extract memory nodes under memorytune"));
+    if ((n = virXPathNodeSet("./node", ctxt, &nodes)) < 0)
         return -1;
-    }
 
     if (virDomainResctrlVcpuMatch(def, vcpus, &resctrl) < 0)
         return -1;
@@ -18341,11 +18329,9 @@ virDomainDefTunablesParse(virDomainDef *def,
                      &def->blkio.weight) < 0)
         def->blkio.weight = 0;
 
-    if ((n = virXPathNodeSet("./blkiotune/device", ctxt, &nodes)) < 0) {
-        virReportError(VIR_ERR_INTERNAL_ERROR,
-                       "%s", _("cannot extract blkiotune nodes"));
+    if ((n = virXPathNodeSet("./blkiotune/device", ctxt, &nodes)) < 0)
         return -1;
-    }
+
     if (n)
         def->blkio.devices = g_new0(virBlkioDevice, n);
 
@@ -18456,11 +18442,8 @@ virDomainDefTunablesParse(virDomainDef *def,
     }
     VIR_FREE(nodes);
 
-    if ((n = virXPathNodeSet("./cputune/emulatorpin", ctxt, &nodes)) < 0) {
-        virReportError(VIR_ERR_INTERNAL_ERROR, "%s",
-                       _("cannot extract emulatorpin nodes"));
+    if ((n = virXPathNodeSet("./cputune/emulatorpin", ctxt, &nodes)) < 0)
         return -1;
-    }
 
     if (n) {
         if (n > 1) {
@@ -18475,11 +18458,8 @@ virDomainDefTunablesParse(virDomainDef *def,
     VIR_FREE(nodes);
 
 
-    if ((n = virXPathNodeSet("./cputune/iothreadpin", ctxt, &nodes)) < 0) {
-        virReportError(VIR_ERR_INTERNAL_ERROR, "%s",
-                       _("cannot extract iothreadpin nodes"));
+    if ((n = virXPathNodeSet("./cputune/iothreadpin", ctxt, &nodes)) < 0)
         return -1;
-    }
 
     for (i = 0; i < n; i++) {
         if (virDomainIOThreadPinDefParseXML(nodes[i], def) < 0)
@@ -18487,11 +18467,8 @@ virDomainDefTunablesParse(virDomainDef *def,
     }
     VIR_FREE(nodes);
 
-    if ((n = virXPathNodeSet("./cputune/vcpusched", ctxt, &nodes)) < 0) {
-        virReportError(VIR_ERR_INTERNAL_ERROR, "%s",
-                       _("cannot extract vcpusched nodes"));
+    if ((n = virXPathNodeSet("./cputune/vcpusched", ctxt, &nodes)) < 0)
         return -1;
-    }
 
     for (i = 0; i < n; i++) {
         if (virDomainVcpuThreadSchedParse(nodes[i], def) < 0)
@@ -18499,11 +18476,8 @@ virDomainDefTunablesParse(virDomainDef *def,
     }
     VIR_FREE(nodes);
 
-    if ((n = virXPathNodeSet("./cputune/iothreadsched", ctxt, &nodes)) < 0) {
-        virReportError(VIR_ERR_INTERNAL_ERROR, "%s",
-                       _("cannot extract iothreadsched nodes"));
+    if ((n = virXPathNodeSet("./cputune/iothreadsched", ctxt, &nodes)) < 0)
         return -1;
-    }
 
     for (i = 0; i < n; i++) {
         if (virDomainIOThreadSchedParse(nodes[i], def) < 0)
@@ -18511,11 +18485,8 @@ virDomainDefTunablesParse(virDomainDef *def,
     }
     VIR_FREE(nodes);
 
-    if ((n = virXPathNodeSet("./cputune/emulatorsched", ctxt, &nodes)) < 0) {
-        virReportError(VIR_ERR_INTERNAL_ERROR, "%s",
-                       _("cannot extract emulatorsched nodes"));
+    if ((n = virXPathNodeSet("./cputune/emulatorsched", ctxt, &nodes)) < 0)
         return -1;
-    }
 
     if (n) {
         if (n > 1) {
@@ -18529,11 +18500,8 @@ virDomainDefTunablesParse(virDomainDef *def,
     }
     VIR_FREE(nodes);
 
-    if ((n = virXPathNodeSet("./cputune/cachetune", ctxt, &nodes)) < 0) {
-        virReportError(VIR_ERR_INTERNAL_ERROR, "%s",
-                       _("cannot extract cachetune nodes"));
+    if ((n = virXPathNodeSet("./cputune/cachetune", ctxt, &nodes)) < 0)
         return -1;
-    }
 
     for (i = 0; i < n; i++) {
         if (virDomainCachetuneDefParse(def, ctxt, nodes[i], flags) < 0)
@@ -18541,11 +18509,8 @@ virDomainDefTunablesParse(virDomainDef *def,
     }
     VIR_FREE(nodes);
 
-    if ((n = virXPathNodeSet("./cputune/memorytune", ctxt, &nodes)) < 0) {
-        virReportError(VIR_ERR_INTERNAL_ERROR, "%s",
-                       _("cannot extract memorytune nodes"));
+    if ((n = virXPathNodeSet("./cputune/memorytune", ctxt, &nodes)) < 0)
         return -1;
-    }
 
     for (i = 0; i < n; i++) {
         if (virDomainMemorytuneDefParse(def, ctxt, nodes[i], flags) < 0)
@@ -18849,11 +18814,8 @@ virDomainDefParseXML(xmlXPathContextPtr ctxt,
         !virDomainIOThreadIDArrayHasPin(def))
         def->placement_mode = VIR_DOMAIN_CPU_PLACEMENT_MODE_AUTO;
 
-    if ((n = virXPathNodeSet("./resource", ctxt, &nodes)) < 0) {
-        virReportError(VIR_ERR_INTERNAL_ERROR,
-                       "%s", _("cannot extract resource nodes"));
+    if ((n = virXPathNodeSet("./resource", ctxt, &nodes)) < 0)
         return NULL;
-    }
 
     if (n > 1) {
         virReportError(VIR_ERR_XML_ERROR, "%s",
@@ -18901,11 +18863,9 @@ virDomainDefParseXML(xmlXPathContextPtr ctxt,
         return NULL;
 
     /* analysis of the resource leases */
-    if ((n = virXPathNodeSet("./devices/lease", ctxt, &nodes)) < 0) {
-        virReportError(VIR_ERR_INTERNAL_ERROR,
-                       "%s", _("cannot extract device leases"));
+    if ((n = virXPathNodeSet("./devices/lease", ctxt, &nodes)) < 0)
         return NULL;
-    }
+
     if (n)
         def->leases = g_new0(virDomainLeaseDef *, n);
     for (i = 0; i < n; i++) {
@@ -19024,11 +18984,9 @@ virDomainDefParseXML(xmlXPathContextPtr ctxt,
     }
     VIR_FREE(nodes);
 
-    if ((n = virXPathNodeSet("./devices/console", ctxt, &nodes)) < 0) {
-        virReportError(VIR_ERR_INTERNAL_ERROR,
-                       "%s", _("cannot extract console devices"));
+    if ((n = virXPathNodeSet("./devices/console", ctxt, &nodes)) < 0)
         return NULL;
-    }
+
     if (n)
         def->consoles = g_new0(virDomainChrDef *, n);
 
diff --git a/src/conf/network_conf.c b/src/conf/network_conf.c
index ed2e72eddf..a2220c05a6 100644
--- a/src/conf/network_conf.c
+++ b/src/conf/network_conf.c
@@ -892,13 +892,9 @@ virNetworkDNSDefParseXML(const char *networkName,
                                &def->forwardPlainNames) < 0)
         return -1;
 
-    nfwds = virXPathNodeSet("./forwarder", ctxt, &fwdNodes);
-    if (nfwds < 0) {
-        virReportError(VIR_ERR_XML_ERROR,
-                       _("invalid <forwarder> element found in <dns> of network %1$s"),
-                       networkName);
+    if ((nfwds = virXPathNodeSet("./forwarder", ctxt, &fwdNodes)) < 0)
         return -1;
-    }
+
     if (nfwds > 0) {
         def->forwarders = g_new0(virNetworkDNSForwarder, nfwds);
 
@@ -922,13 +918,9 @@ virNetworkDNSDefParseXML(const char *networkName,
         }
     }
 
-    nhosts = virXPathNodeSet("./host", ctxt, &hostNodes);
-    if (nhosts < 0) {
-        virReportError(VIR_ERR_XML_ERROR,
-                       _("invalid <host> element found in <dns> of network %1$s"),
-                       networkName);
+    if ((nhosts = virXPathNodeSet("./host", ctxt, &hostNodes)) < 0)
         return -1;
-    }
+
     if (nhosts > 0) {
         def->hosts = g_new0(virNetworkDNSHostDef, nhosts);
 
@@ -941,13 +933,9 @@ virNetworkDNSDefParseXML(const char *networkName,
         }
     }
 
-    nsrvs = virXPathNodeSet("./srv", ctxt, &srvNodes);
-    if (nsrvs < 0) {
-        virReportError(VIR_ERR_XML_ERROR,
-                       _("invalid <srv> element found in <dns> of network %1$s"),
-                       networkName);
+    if ((nsrvs = virXPathNodeSet("./srv", ctxt, &srvNodes)) < 0)
         return -1;
-    }
+
     if (nsrvs > 0) {
         def->srvs = g_new0(virNetworkDNSSrvDef, nsrvs);
 
@@ -960,13 +948,9 @@ virNetworkDNSDefParseXML(const char *networkName,
         }
     }
 
-    ntxts = virXPathNodeSet("./txt", ctxt, &txtNodes);
-    if (ntxts < 0) {
-        virReportError(VIR_ERR_XML_ERROR,
-                       _("invalid <txt> element found in <dns> of network %1$s"),
-                       networkName);
+    if ((ntxts = virXPathNodeSet("./txt", ctxt, &txtNodes)) < 0)
         return -1;
-    }
+
     if (ntxts > 0) {
         def->txts = g_new0(virNetworkDNSTxtDef, ntxts);
 
@@ -1222,13 +1206,10 @@ virNetworkForwardNatDefParseXML(const char *networkName,
         return -1;
 
     /* addresses for SNAT */
-    nNatAddrs = virXPathNodeSet("./address", ctxt, &natAddrNodes);
-    if (nNatAddrs < 0) {
-        virReportError(VIR_ERR_XML_ERROR,
-                       _("invalid <address> element found in <forward> of network %1$s"),
-                       networkName);
+    if ((nNatAddrs = virXPathNodeSet("./address", ctxt, &natAddrNodes)) < 0)
         return -1;
-    } else if (nNatAddrs > 1) {
+
+    if (nNatAddrs > 1) {
         virReportError(VIR_ERR_XML_ERROR,
                        _("Only one <address> element is allowed in <nat> in <forward> in network %1$s"),
                        networkName);
@@ -1284,13 +1265,10 @@ virNetworkForwardNatDefParseXML(const char *networkName,
     }
 
     /* ports for SNAT and MASQUERADE */
-    nNatPorts = virXPathNodeSet("./port", ctxt, &natPortNodes);
-    if (nNatPorts < 0) {
-        virReportError(VIR_ERR_XML_ERROR,
-                       _("invalid <port> element found in <forward> of network %1$s"),
-                       networkName);
+    if ((nNatPorts = virXPathNodeSet("./port", ctxt, &natPortNodes)) < 0)
         return -1;
-    } else if (nNatPorts > 1) {
+
+    if (nNatPorts > 1) {
         virReportError(VIR_ERR_XML_ERROR,
                        _("Only one <port> element is allowed in <nat> in <forward> in network %1$s"),
                        networkName);
@@ -1358,37 +1336,19 @@ virNetworkForwardDefParseXML(const char *networkName,
     }
 
     /* bridge and hostdev modes can use a pool of physical interfaces */
-    nForwardIfs = virXPathNodeSet("./interface", ctxt, &forwardIfNodes);
-    if (nForwardIfs < 0) {
-        virReportError(VIR_ERR_XML_ERROR,
-                       _("invalid <interface> element found in <forward> of network %1$s"),
-                       networkName);
+    if ((nForwardIfs = virXPathNodeSet("./interface", ctxt, &forwardIfNodes)) < 0)
         return -1;
-    }
 
-    nForwardAddrs = virXPathNodeSet("./address", ctxt, &forwardAddrNodes);
-    if (nForwardAddrs < 0) {
-        virReportError(VIR_ERR_XML_ERROR,
-                       _("invalid <address> element found in <forward> of network %1$s"),
-                       networkName);
+    if ((nForwardAddrs = virXPathNodeSet("./address", ctxt, &forwardAddrNodes)) < 0)
         return -1;
-    }
 
-    nForwardPfs = virXPathNodeSet("./pf", ctxt, &forwardPfNodes);
-    if (nForwardPfs < 0) {
-        virReportError(VIR_ERR_XML_ERROR,
-                       _("invalid <pf> element found in <forward> of network %1$s"),
-                       networkName);
+    if ((nForwardPfs = virXPathNodeSet("./pf", ctxt, &forwardPfNodes)) < 0)
         return -1;
-    }
 
-    nForwardNats = virXPathNodeSet("./nat", ctxt, &forwardNatNodes);
-    if (nForwardNats < 0) {
-        virReportError(VIR_ERR_XML_ERROR,
-                       _("invalid <nat> element found in <forward> of network %1$s"),
-                       networkName);
+    if ((nForwardNats = virXPathNodeSet("./nat", ctxt, &forwardNatNodes)) < 0)
         return -1;
-    } else if (nForwardNats > 1) {
+
+    if (nForwardNats > 1) {
         virReportError(VIR_ERR_XML_ERROR,
                        _("Only one <nat> element is allowed in <forward> of network %1$s"),
                        networkName);
diff --git a/src/conf/node_device_conf.c b/src/conf/node_device_conf.c
index 95de77abe9..dd174d3020 100644
--- a/src/conf/node_device_conf.c
+++ b/src/conf/node_device_conf.c
@@ -960,11 +960,9 @@ virNodeDeviceCapVPDParseCustomFields(xmlXPathContextPtr ctxt, virPCIVPDResource
     g_autofree xmlNodePtr *nodes = NULL;
     size_t i = 0;
 
-    if ((nfields = virXPathNodeSet("./vendor_field[@index]", ctxt, &nodes)) < 0) {
-        virReportError(VIR_ERR_XML_ERROR, "%s",
-                _("failed to evaluate <vendor_field> elements"));
+    if ((nfields = virXPathNodeSet("./vendor_field[@index]", ctxt, &nodes)) < 0)
         return -1;
-    }
+
     for (i = 0; i < nfields; i++) {
         g_autofree char *value = NULL;
         g_autofree char *index = NULL;
@@ -989,11 +987,9 @@ virNodeDeviceCapVPDParseCustomFields(xmlXPathContextPtr ctxt, virPCIVPDResource
     VIR_FREE(nodes);
 
     if (!readOnly) {
-        if ((nfields = virXPathNodeSet("./system_field[@index]", ctxt, &nodes)) < 0) {
-            virReportError(VIR_ERR_XML_ERROR, "%s",
-                    _("failed to evaluate <system_field> elements"));
+        if ((nfields = virXPathNodeSet("./system_field[@index]", ctxt, &nodes)) < 0)
             return -1;
-        }
+
         for (i = 0; i < nfields; i++) {
             g_autofree char *value = NULL;
             g_autofree char *index = NULL;
@@ -1074,11 +1070,8 @@ virNodeDeviceCapVPDParseXML(xmlXPathContextPtr ctxt, virPCIVPDResource **res)
         return -1;
     }
 
-    if ((nfields = virXPathNodeSet("./fields[@access]", ctxt, &nodes)) < 0) {
-        virReportError(VIR_ERR_XML_ERROR, "%s",
-                _("no VPD <fields> elements with an access type attribute found"));
+    if ((nfields = virXPathNodeSet("./fields[@access]", ctxt, &nodes)) < 0)
         return -1;
-    }
 
     for (i = 0; i < nfields; i++) {
         g_autofree char *access = NULL;
diff --git a/src/conf/numa_conf.c b/src/conf/numa_conf.c
index bcd7838e00..d8120de6d2 100644
--- a/src/conf/numa_conf.c
+++ b/src/conf/numa_conf.c
@@ -135,11 +135,8 @@ virDomainNumatuneNodeParseXML(virDomainNuma *numa,
     size_t i = 0;
     g_autofree xmlNodePtr *nodes = NULL;
 
-    if ((n = virXPathNodeSet("./numatune/memnode", ctxt, &nodes)) < 0) {
-        virReportError(VIR_ERR_INTERNAL_ERROR, "%s",
-                       _("Cannot extract memnode nodes"));
+    if ((n = virXPathNodeSet("./numatune/memnode", ctxt, &nodes)) < 0)
         return -1;
-    }
 
     if (!n)
         return 0;
@@ -700,7 +697,10 @@ virDomainNumaDefNodeDistanceParseXML(virDomainNuma *def,
     if (!virXPathNode("./distances[1]", ctxt))
         return 0;
 
-    if ((sibling = virXPathNodeSet("./distances[1]/sibling", ctxt, &nodes)) <= 0) {
+    if ((sibling = virXPathNodeSet("./distances[1]/sibling", ctxt, &nodes)) < 0)
+        goto cleanup;
+
+    if (sibling == 0) {
         virReportError(VIR_ERR_XML_ERROR, "%s",
                        _("NUMA distances defined without siblings"));
         goto cleanup;
@@ -852,7 +852,10 @@ virDomainNumaDefParseXML(virDomainNuma *def,
     if (!virXPathNode("./cpu/numa[1]", ctxt))
         return 0;
 
-    if ((n = virXPathNodeSet("./cpu/numa[1]/cell", ctxt, &cell)) <= 0) {
+    if ((n = virXPathNodeSet("./cpu/numa[1]/cell", ctxt, &cell)) < 0)
+        return -1;
+
+    if (n == 0) {
         virReportError(VIR_ERR_XML_ERROR, "%s",
                        _("NUMA topology defined without NUMA cells"));
         return -1;
diff --git a/src/cpu/cpu_ppc64.c b/src/cpu/cpu_ppc64.c
index e13cdbdf6b..448a0a7d85 100644
--- a/src/cpu/cpu_ppc64.c
+++ b/src/cpu/cpu_ppc64.c
@@ -334,7 +334,10 @@ ppc64ModelParse(xmlXPathContextPtr ctxt,
         }
     }
 
-    if ((n = virXPathNodeSet("./pvr", ctxt, &nodes)) <= 0) {
+    if ((n = virXPathNodeSet("./pvr", ctxt, &nodes)) < 0)
+        return -1;
+
+    if (n == 0) {
         virReportError(VIR_ERR_INTERNAL_ERROR,
                        _("Missing PVR information for CPU model %1$s"),
                        model->name);
diff --git a/src/qemu/qemu_capabilities.c b/src/qemu/qemu_capabilities.c
index e24b679060..f4b4f05479 100644
--- a/src/qemu/qemu_capabilities.c
+++ b/src/qemu/qemu_capabilities.c
@@ -3986,11 +3986,8 @@ virQEMUCapsLoadCPUModels(virArch arch,
     int n;
     xmlNodePtr node;
 
-    if ((n = virXPathNodeSet(xpath, ctxt, &nodes)) < 0) {
-        virReportError(VIR_ERR_INTERNAL_ERROR, "%s",
-                       _("failed to parse qemu capabilities cpus"));
+    if ((n = virXPathNodeSet(xpath, ctxt, &nodes)) < 0)
         return -1;
-    }
 
     if (n == 0)
         return 0;
@@ -4028,11 +4025,8 @@ virQEMUCapsLoadCPUModels(virArch arch,
         nblockers = virXPathNodeSet("./blocker", ctxt, &blockerNodes);
         ctxt->node = node;
 
-        if (nblockers < 0) {
-            virReportError(VIR_ERR_INTERNAL_ERROR, "%s",
-                           _("failed to parse CPU blockers in QEMU capabilities"));
+        if (nblockers < 0)
             return -1;
-        }
 
         if (nblockers > 0) {
             size_t j;
@@ -4071,11 +4065,8 @@ virQEMUCapsLoadMachines(virQEMUCapsAccel *caps,
     size_t i;
     int n;
 
-    if ((n = virXPathNodeSet(xpath, ctxt, &nodes)) < 0) {
-        virReportError(VIR_ERR_INTERNAL_ERROR, "%s",
-                       _("failed to parse qemu capabilities machines"));
+    if ((n = virXPathNodeSet(xpath, ctxt, &nodes)) < 0)
         return -1;
-    }
 
     if (n == 0)
         return 0;
@@ -4288,11 +4279,8 @@ virQEMUCapsParseSGXInfo(virQEMUCaps *qemuCaps,
         ctxt->node = sgxSections;
         nSgxSections = virXPathNodeSet("./section", ctxt, &sectionNodes);
 
-        if (nSgxSections < 0) {
-            virReportError(VIR_ERR_INTERNAL_ERROR, "%s",
-                           _("failed to parse SGX sections in QEMU capabilities cache"));
+        if (nSgxSections < 0)
             return -1;
-        }
 
         sgx->nSgxSections = nSgxSections;
         sgx->sgxSections = g_new0(virSGXSection, nSgxSections);
@@ -4375,11 +4363,8 @@ virQEMUCapsParseFlags(virQEMUCaps *qemuCaps, xmlXPathContextPtr ctxt)
     size_t i;
     int n;
 
-    if ((n = virXPathNodeSet("./flag", ctxt, &nodes)) < 0) {
-        virReportError(VIR_ERR_INTERNAL_ERROR, "%s",
-                       _("failed to parse qemu capabilities flags"));
+    if ((n = virXPathNodeSet("./flag", ctxt, &nodes)) < 0)
         return -1;
-    }
 
     VIR_DEBUG("Got flags %d", n);
     for (i = 0; i < n; i++) {
@@ -4413,11 +4398,8 @@ virQEMUCapsParseGIC(virQEMUCaps *qemuCaps, xmlXPathContextPtr ctxt)
     size_t i;
     int n;
 
-    if ((n = virXPathNodeSet("./gic", ctxt, &nodes)) < 0) {
-        virReportError(VIR_ERR_INTERNAL_ERROR, "%s",
-                       _("failed to parse qemu capabilities gic"));
+    if ((n = virXPathNodeSet("./gic", ctxt, &nodes)) < 0)
         return -1;
-    }
 
     if (n > 0) {
         unsigned int uintValue;
diff --git a/src/qemu/qemu_domain.c b/src/qemu/qemu_domain.c
index dad89954d9..dac9e97ce9 100644
--- a/src/qemu/qemu_domain.c
+++ b/src/qemu/qemu_domain.c
@@ -3155,11 +3155,8 @@ qemuDomainObjPrivateXMLParseSlirpFeatures(xmlNodePtr featuresNode,
 
     ctxt->node = featuresNode;
 
-    if ((n = virXPathNodeSet("./feature", ctxt, &nodes)) < 0) {
-        virReportError(VIR_ERR_INTERNAL_ERROR,
-                       "%s", _("failed to parse slirp-helper features"));
+    if ((n = virXPathNodeSet("./feature", ctxt, &nodes)) < 0)
         return -1;
-    }
 
     for (i = 0; i < n; i++) {
         g_autofree char *str = virXMLPropString(nodes[i], "name");
@@ -3273,11 +3270,9 @@ qemuDomainObjPrivateXMLParse(xmlXPathContextPtr ctxt,
     }
     VIR_FREE(nodes);
 
-    if ((n = virXPathNodeSet("./qemuCaps/flag", ctxt, &nodes)) < 0) {
-        virReportError(VIR_ERR_INTERNAL_ERROR,
-                       "%s", _("failed to parse qemu capabilities flags"));
+    if ((n = virXPathNodeSet("./qemuCaps/flag", ctxt, &nodes)) < 0)
         return -1;
-    }
+
     if (n > 0) {
         qemuCaps = virQEMUCapsNew();
 
@@ -3305,11 +3300,9 @@ qemuDomainObjPrivateXMLParse(xmlXPathContextPtr ctxt,
 
     priv->fakeReboot = virXPathBoolean("boolean(./fakereboot)", ctxt) == 1;
 
-    if ((n = virXPathNodeSet("./devices/device", ctxt, &nodes)) < 0) {
-        virReportError(VIR_ERR_INTERNAL_ERROR, "%s",
-                       _("failed to parse qemu device list"));
+    if ((n = virXPathNodeSet("./devices/device", ctxt, &nodes)) < 0)
         return -1;
-    }
+
     if (n > 0) {
         /* NULL-terminated list */
         priv->qemuDevices = g_new0(char *, n + 1);
@@ -3325,11 +3318,9 @@ qemuDomainObjPrivateXMLParse(xmlXPathContextPtr ctxt,
     }
     VIR_FREE(nodes);
 
-    if ((n = virXPathNodeSet("./slirp/helper", ctxt, &nodes)) < 0) {
-        virReportError(VIR_ERR_INTERNAL_ERROR, "%s",
-                       _("failed to parse slirp helper list"));
+    if ((n = virXPathNodeSet("./slirp/helper", ctxt, &nodes)) < 0)
         return -1;
-    }
+
     for (i = 0; i < n; i++) {
         g_autofree char *alias = virXMLPropString(nodes[i], "alias");
         g_autofree char *pid = virXMLPropString(nodes[i], "pid");
diff --git a/src/qemu/qemu_migration_cookie.c b/src/qemu/qemu_migration_cookie.c
index 5505fdaf22..4361949cca 100644
--- a/src/qemu/qemu_migration_cookie.c
+++ b/src/qemu/qemu_migration_cookie.c
@@ -947,11 +947,8 @@ qemuMigrationCookieNetworkXMLParse(xmlXPathContextPtr ctxt)
     g_autofree xmlNodePtr *interfaces = NULL;
     VIR_XPATH_NODE_AUTORESTORE(ctxt)
 
-    if ((n = virXPathNodeSet("./network/interface", ctxt, &interfaces)) < 0) {
-        virReportError(VIR_ERR_INTERNAL_ERROR,
-                       "%s", _("missing interface information"));
+    if ((n = virXPathNodeSet("./network/interface", ctxt, &interfaces)) < 0)
         return NULL;
-    }
 
     optr->nnets = n;
     optr->net = g_new0(qemuMigrationCookieNetData, optr->nnets);
diff --git a/src/qemu/qemu_nbdkit.c b/src/qemu/qemu_nbdkit.c
index 1c72b6fe6a..acf961b59e 100644
--- a/src/qemu/qemu_nbdkit.c
+++ b/src/qemu/qemu_nbdkit.c
@@ -400,11 +400,8 @@ qemuNbdkitCapsParseFlags(qemuNbdkitCaps *nbdkitCaps,
     size_t i;
     int n;
 
-    if ((n = virXPathNodeSet("./flag", ctxt, &nodes)) < 0) {
-        virReportError(VIR_ERR_INTERNAL_ERROR, "%s",
-                       _("failed to parse qemu capabilities flags"));
+    if ((n = virXPathNodeSet("./flag", ctxt, &nodes)) < 0)
         return -1;
-    }
 
     VIR_DEBUG("Got flags %d", n);
     for (i = 0; i < n; i++) {
diff --git a/src/vz/vz_sdk.c b/src/vz/vz_sdk.c
index 6a15d60577..ce4586a3f5 100644
--- a/src/vz/vz_sdk.c
+++ b/src/vz/vz_sdk.c
@@ -4612,11 +4612,8 @@ prlsdkParseSnapshotTree(const char *treexml)
                             "ParallelsSavedStates", &ctxt, NULL, false)))
         goto cleanup;
 
-    if ((n = virXPathNodeSet("//SavedStateItem", ctxt, &nodes)) < 0) {
-        virReportError(VIR_ERR_INTERNAL_ERROR, "%s",
-                       _("cannot extract snapshot nodes"));
+    if ((n = virXPathNodeSet("//SavedStateItem", ctxt, &nodes)) < 0)
         goto cleanup;
-    }
 
     for (i = 0; i < n; i++) {
         if (nodes[i]->parent == xmlDocGetRootElement(xml))