diff --git a/hw/misc/tmp421.c b/hw/misc/tmp421.c
index 9f044705fa..c0bc150bca 100644
--- a/hw/misc/tmp421.c
+++ b/hw/misc/tmp421.c
@@ -120,7 +120,7 @@ static void tmp421_get_temperature(Object *obj, Visitor *v, const char *name,
     int tempid;
 
     if (sscanf(name, "temperature%d", &tempid) != 1) {
-        error_setg(errp, "error reading %s: %m", name);
+        error_setg(errp, "error reading %s: %s", name, g_strerror(errno));
         return;
     }
 
@@ -160,7 +160,7 @@ static void tmp421_set_temperature(Object *obj, Visitor *v, const char *name,
     }
 
     if (sscanf(name, "temperature%d", &tempid) != 1) {
-        error_setg(errp, "error reading %s: %m", name);
+        error_setg(errp, "error reading %s: %s", name, g_strerror(errno));
         return;
     }
 
diff --git a/util/main-loop.c b/util/main-loop.c
index e3eaa55866..eda63fe4e0 100644
--- a/util/main-loop.c
+++ b/util/main-loop.c
@@ -61,7 +61,8 @@ static void sigfd_handler(void *opaque)
         }
 
         if (len != sizeof(info)) {
-            printf("read from sigfd returned %zd: %m\n", len);
+            error_report("read from sigfd returned %zd: %s", len,
+                         g_strerror(errno));
             return;
         }
 
diff --git a/util/systemd.c b/util/systemd.c
index d22e86c707..1dd0367d9a 100644
--- a/util/systemd.c
+++ b/util/systemd.c
@@ -60,8 +60,8 @@ unsigned int check_socket_activation(void)
              * and we should exit.
              */
             error_report("Socket activation failed: "
-                         "invalid file descriptor fd = %d: %m",
-                         fd);
+                         "invalid file descriptor fd = %d: %s",
+                         fd, g_strerror(errno));
             exit(EXIT_FAILURE);
         }
     }