diff --git a/numa.c b/numa.c
index 425ef8dc21..23a5d83024 100644
--- a/numa.c
+++ b/numa.c
@@ -418,12 +418,15 @@ static void allocate_system_memory_nonnuma(MemoryRegion *mr, Object *owner,
         Error *err = NULL;
         memory_region_init_ram_from_file(mr, owner, name, ram_size, false,
                                          mem_path, &err);
-
-        /* Legacy behavior: if allocation failed, fall back to
-         * regular RAM allocation.
-         */
         if (err) {
             error_report_err(err);
+            if (mem_prealloc) {
+                exit(1);
+            }
+
+            /* Legacy behavior: if allocation failed, fall back to
+             * regular RAM allocation.
+             */
             memory_region_init_ram(mr, owner, name, ram_size, &error_fatal);
         }
 #else