diff --git a/qemu-config.c b/qemu-config.c
index d5008851cb..aa376d450a 100644
--- a/qemu-config.c
+++ b/qemu-config.c
@@ -521,14 +521,18 @@ out:
 int qemu_read_config_file(const char *filename)
 {
     FILE *f = fopen(filename, "r");
+    int ret;
+
     if (f == NULL) {
         return -errno;
     }
 
-    if (qemu_config_parse(f, vm_config_groups, filename) != 0) {
-        return -EINVAL;
-    }
+    ret = qemu_config_parse(f, vm_config_groups, filename);
     fclose(f);
 
-    return 0;
+    if (ret == 0) {
+        return 0;
+    } else {
+        return -EINVAL;
+    }
 }
diff --git a/vl.c b/vl.c
index 8c818f0d24..328395e3dd 100644
--- a/vl.c
+++ b/vl.c
@@ -2662,12 +2662,12 @@ int main(int argc, char **argv, char **envp)
         int ret;
 
         ret = qemu_read_config_file(CONFIG_QEMU_CONFDIR "/qemu.conf");
-        if (ret == -EINVAL) {
+        if (ret < 0 && ret != -ENOENT) {
             exit(1);
         }
 
         ret = qemu_read_config_file(arch_config_name);
-        if (ret == -EINVAL) {
+        if (ret < 0 && ret != -ENOENT) {
             exit(1);
         }
     }