diff --git a/qemu-config.c b/qemu-config.c
index bdb381da4e..bb3bff426a 100644
--- a/qemu-config.c
+++ b/qemu-config.c
@@ -661,6 +661,11 @@ QemuOptsList *qemu_find_opts(const char *group)
     return ret;
 }
 
+QemuOptsList *qemu_find_opts_err(const char *group, Error **errp)
+{
+    return find_list(vm_config_groups, group, errp);
+}
+
 void qemu_add_opts(QemuOptsList *list)
 {
     int entries, i;
diff --git a/qemu-config.h b/qemu-config.h
index 6d7365d35b..e9f2ef4c7b 100644
--- a/qemu-config.h
+++ b/qemu-config.h
@@ -1,11 +1,14 @@
 #ifndef QEMU_CONFIG_H
 #define QEMU_CONFIG_H
 
+#include "error.h"
+
 extern QemuOptsList qemu_fsdev_opts;
 extern QemuOptsList qemu_virtfs_opts;
 extern QemuOptsList qemu_spice_opts;
 
 QemuOptsList *qemu_find_opts(const char *group);
+QemuOptsList *qemu_find_opts_err(const char *group, Error **errp);
 void qemu_add_opts(QemuOptsList *list);
 int qemu_set_option(const char *str);
 int qemu_global_option(const char *str);