}
 }
 
-static void vmxnet3_validate_queues(VMXNET3State *s)
+static bool vmxnet3_validate_queues(VMXNET3State *s)
 {
     /*
     * txq_num and rxq_num are total number of queues
     */
 
     if (s->txq_num > VMXNET3_DEVICE_MAX_TX_QUEUES) {
-        hw_error("Bad TX queues number: %d\n", s->txq_num);
+        qemu_log_mask(LOG_GUEST_ERROR, "vmxnet3: Bad TX queues number: %d\n",
+                      s->txq_num);
+        return false;
     }
 
     if (s->rxq_num > VMXNET3_DEVICE_MAX_RX_QUEUES) {
-        hw_error("Bad RX queues number: %d\n", s->rxq_num);
+        qemu_log_mask(LOG_GUEST_ERROR, "vmxnet3: Bad RX queues number: %d\n",
+                      s->rxq_num);
+        return false;
     }
+
+    return true;
 }
 
 static void vmxnet3_activate_device(VMXNET3State *s)
         return;
     }
 
+    s->txq_num =
+        VMXNET3_READ_DRV_SHARED8(d, s->drv_shmem, devRead.misc.numTxQueues);
+    s->rxq_num =
+        VMXNET3_READ_DRV_SHARED8(d, s->drv_shmem, devRead.misc.numRxQueues);
+
+    VMW_CFPRN("Number of TX/RX queues %u/%u", s->txq_num, s->rxq_num);
+    if (!vmxnet3_validate_queues(s)) {
+        return;
+    }
+
     vmxnet3_adjust_by_guest_type(s);
     vmxnet3_update_features(s);
     vmxnet3_update_pm_state(s);
         VMXNET3_READ_DRV_SHARED8(d, s->drv_shmem, devRead.intrConf.autoMask);
     VMW_CFPRN("Automatic interrupt masking is %d", (int)s->auto_int_masking);
 
-    s->txq_num =
-        VMXNET3_READ_DRV_SHARED8(d, s->drv_shmem, devRead.misc.numTxQueues);
-    s->rxq_num =
-        VMXNET3_READ_DRV_SHARED8(d, s->drv_shmem, devRead.misc.numRxQueues);
-
-    VMW_CFPRN("Number of TX/RX queues %u/%u", s->txq_num, s->rxq_num);
-    vmxnet3_validate_queues(s);
-
     qdescr_table_pa =
         VMXNET3_READ_DRV_SHARED64(d, s->drv_shmem, devRead.misc.queueDescPA);
     VMW_CFPRN("TX queues descriptors table is at 0x%" PRIx64, qdescr_table_pa);
         }
     }
 
-    vmxnet3_validate_queues(s);
+    if (!vmxnet3_validate_queues(s)) {
+        return -1;
+    }
     vmxnet3_validate_interrupts(s);
 
     return 0;