diff --git a/src/node_device/node_device_driver.c b/src/node_device/node_device_driver.c
index 46d0dbf4a9..9cd7134edd 100644
--- a/src/node_device/node_device_driver.c
+++ b/src/node_device/node_device_driver.c
@@ -746,6 +746,8 @@ nodeDeviceGetMdevctlCommand(virNodeDeviceDef *def,
     case MDEVCTL_CMD_LAST:
     default:
         /* SHOULD NEVER HAPPEN */
+        virReportError(VIR_ERR_INTERNAL_ERROR,
+                       _("Unknown Command '%i'"), cmd_type);
         return NULL;
     }
 
@@ -795,48 +797,62 @@ nodeDeviceGetMdevctlCommand(virNodeDeviceDef *def,
 
 
 static int
-virMdevctlCreate(virNodeDeviceDef *def, char **uuid, char **errmsg)
+virMdevctlCreate(virNodeDeviceDef *def, char **uuid)
 {
     int status;
+    g_autofree char *errmsg = NULL;
     g_autoptr(virCommand) cmd = nodeDeviceGetMdevctlCommand(def,
                                                             MDEVCTL_CMD_CREATE,
                                                             uuid,
-                                                            errmsg);
+                                                            &errmsg);
 
     if (!cmd)
         return -1;
 
     /* an auto-generated uuid is returned via stdout if no uuid is specified in
      * the mdevctl args */
-    if (virCommandRun(cmd, &status) < 0 || status != 0)
+    if (virCommandRun(cmd, &status) < 0)
         return -1;
 
+    if (status != 0) {
+        virReportError(VIR_ERR_INTERNAL_ERROR,
+                       _("Unable to start mediated device: %s"),
+                       MDEVCTL_ERROR(errmsg));
+        return -1;
+    }
+
     /* remove newline */
     *uuid = g_strstrip(*uuid);
-
     return 0;
 }
 
 
 static int
-virMdevctlDefine(virNodeDeviceDef *def, char **uuid, char **errmsg)
+virMdevctlDefine(virNodeDeviceDef *def, char **uuid)
 {
     int status;
+    g_autofree char *errmsg = NULL;
     g_autoptr(virCommand) cmd = nodeDeviceGetMdevctlCommand(def,
                                                             MDEVCTL_CMD_DEFINE,
-                                                            uuid, errmsg);
+                                                            uuid, &errmsg);
 
     if (!cmd)
         return -1;
 
     /* an auto-generated uuid is returned via stdout if no uuid is specified in
      * the mdevctl args */
-    if (virCommandRun(cmd, &status) < 0 || status != 0)
+    if (virCommandRun(cmd, &status) < 0)
         return -1;
 
+    if (status != 0) {
+        virReportError(VIR_ERR_INTERNAL_ERROR,
+                       _("Unable to define mediated device: %s"),
+                       MDEVCTL_ERROR(errmsg));
+        return -1;
+    }
+
     /* remove newline */
     *uuid = g_strstrip(*uuid);
-
     return 0;
 }
 
@@ -846,7 +862,6 @@ nodeDeviceCreateXMLMdev(virConnectPtr conn,
                         virNodeDeviceDef *def)
 {
     g_autofree char *uuid = NULL;
-    g_autofree char *errmsg = NULL;
 
     if (!def->parent) {
         virReportError(VIR_ERR_XML_ERROR, "%s",
@@ -854,11 +869,7 @@ nodeDeviceCreateXMLMdev(virConnectPtr conn,
         return NULL;
     }
 
-    if (virMdevctlCreate(def, &uuid, &errmsg) < 0) {
-        if (errmsg)
-            virReportError(VIR_ERR_INTERNAL_ERROR,
-                           _("Unable to start mediated device: %s"),
-                           errmsg);
+    if (virMdevctlCreate(def, &uuid) < 0) {
         return NULL;
     }
 
@@ -928,55 +939,79 @@ nodeDeviceCreateXML(virConnectPtr conn,
 
 
 static int
-virMdevctlStop(virNodeDeviceDef *def, char **errmsg)
+virMdevctlStop(virNodeDeviceDef *def)
 {
     int status;
     g_autoptr(virCommand) cmd = NULL;
+    g_autofree char *errmsg = NULL;
 
-    cmd = nodeDeviceGetMdevctlCommand(def, MDEVCTL_CMD_STOP, NULL, errmsg);
+    cmd = nodeDeviceGetMdevctlCommand(def, MDEVCTL_CMD_STOP, NULL, &errmsg);
 
     if (!cmd)
         return -1;
 
-    if (virCommandRun(cmd, &status) < 0 || status != 0)
+    if (virCommandRun(cmd, &status) < 0)
         return -1;
 
+    if (status != 0) {
+        virReportError(VIR_ERR_INTERNAL_ERROR,
+                       _("Unable to destroy '%s': %s"), def->name,
+                       MDEVCTL_ERROR(errmsg));
+        return -1;
+    }
+
     return 0;
 }
 
 
 static int
-virMdevctlUndefine(virNodeDeviceDef *def, char **errmsg)
+virMdevctlUndefine(virNodeDeviceDef *def)
 {
     int status;
     g_autoptr(virCommand) cmd = NULL;
+    g_autofree char *errmsg = NULL;
 
-    cmd = nodeDeviceGetMdevctlCommand(def, MDEVCTL_CMD_UNDEFINE, NULL, errmsg);
+    cmd = nodeDeviceGetMdevctlCommand(def, MDEVCTL_CMD_UNDEFINE, NULL, &errmsg);
 
     if (!cmd)
         return -1;
 
-    if (virCommandRun(cmd, &status) < 0 || status != 0)
+    if (virCommandRun(cmd, &status) < 0)
         return -1;
 
+    if (status != 0) {
+        virReportError(VIR_ERR_INTERNAL_ERROR,
+                       _("Unable to undefine mediated device: %s"),
+                       MDEVCTL_ERROR(errmsg));
+        return -1;
+    }
+
     return 0;
 }
 
 
 static int
-virMdevctlStart(virNodeDeviceDef *def, char **errmsg)
+virMdevctlStart(virNodeDeviceDef *def)
 {
     int status;
     g_autoptr(virCommand) cmd = NULL;
+    g_autofree char *errmsg = NULL;
 
-    cmd = nodeDeviceGetMdevctlCommand(def, MDEVCTL_CMD_START, NULL, errmsg);
+    cmd = nodeDeviceGetMdevctlCommand(def, MDEVCTL_CMD_START, NULL, &errmsg);
 
     if (!cmd)
         return -1;
 
-    if (virCommandRun(cmd, &status) < 0 || status != 0)
+    if (virCommandRun(cmd, &status) < 0)
         return -1;
 
+    if (status != 0) {
+        virReportError(VIR_ERR_INTERNAL_ERROR,
+                       _("Unable to create mediated device: %s"),
+                       MDEVCTL_ERROR(errmsg));
+        return -1;
+    }
+
     return 0;
 }
 
@@ -1207,7 +1242,6 @@ nodeDeviceDestroy(virNodeDevicePtr device)
         g_autofree char *vfiogroup =
             virMediatedDeviceGetIOMMUGroupDev(def->caps->data.mdev.uuid);
         VIR_AUTOCLOSE fd = -1;
-        g_autofree char *errmsg = NULL;
 
         if (!vfiogroup)
             goto cleanup;
@@ -1221,13 +1255,9 @@ nodeDeviceDestroy(virNodeDevicePtr device)
             goto cleanup;
         }
 
-        if (virMdevctlStop(def, &errmsg) < 0) {
-            if (errmsg)
-                virReportError(VIR_ERR_INTERNAL_ERROR,
-                               _("Unable to destroy '%s': %s"), def->name,
-                               errmsg);
+        if (virMdevctlStop(def) < 0)
             goto cleanup;
-        }
+
         ret = 0;
     } else {
         virReportError(VIR_ERR_CONFIG_UNSUPPORTED, "%s",
@@ -1302,7 +1332,6 @@ nodeDeviceDefineXML(virConnect *conn,
     g_autoptr(virNodeDeviceDef) def = NULL;
     const char *virt_type = NULL;
     g_autofree char *uuid = NULL;
-    g_autofree char *errmsg = NULL;
     g_autofree char *name = NULL;
 
     virCheckFlags(0, NULL);
@@ -1330,10 +1359,7 @@ nodeDeviceDefineXML(virConnect *conn,
         return NULL;
     }
 
-    if (virMdevctlDefine(def, &uuid, &errmsg) < 0) {
-        if (errmsg)
-            virReportError(VIR_ERR_INTERNAL_ERROR,
-                           _("Unable to define mediated device: %s"), errmsg);
+    if (virMdevctlDefine(def, &uuid) < 0) {
         return NULL;
     }
 
@@ -1388,14 +1414,9 @@ nodeDeviceUndefine(virNodeDevice *device,
     }
 
     if (nodeDeviceHasCapability(def, VIR_NODE_DEV_CAP_MDEV)) {
-        g_autofree char *errmsg = NULL;
-
-        if (virMdevctlUndefine(def, &errmsg) < 0) {
-            virReportError(VIR_ERR_INTERNAL_ERROR,
-                           _("Unable to undefine mediated device: %s"),
-                           MDEVCTL_ERROR(errmsg));
+        if (virMdevctlUndefine(def) < 0)
             goto cleanup;
-        }
+
         ret = 0;
     } else {
         virReportError(VIR_ERR_CONFIG_UNSUPPORTED, "%s",
@@ -1435,14 +1456,9 @@ nodeDeviceCreate(virNodeDevice *device,
         goto cleanup;
 
     if (nodeDeviceHasCapability(def, VIR_NODE_DEV_CAP_MDEV)) {
-        g_autofree char *errmsg = NULL;
-
-        if (virMdevctlStart(def, &errmsg) < 0) {
-            virReportError(VIR_ERR_INTERNAL_ERROR,
-                           _("Unable to create mediated device: %s"),
-                           MDEVCTL_ERROR(errmsg));
+        if (virMdevctlStart(def) < 0)
             goto cleanup;
-        }
+
         ret = 0;
     } else {
         virReportError(VIR_ERR_CONFIG_UNSUPPORTED, "%s",