diff --git a/include/qom/object.h b/include/qom/object.h
index 1088e5a34d..10fd4a2d4c 100644
--- a/include/qom/object.h
+++ b/include/qom/object.h
@@ -729,15 +729,13 @@ void object_apply_compat_props(Object *obj);
  *   Error *err = NULL;
  *   Object *obj = ...get / create object...;
  *
- *   obj = object_set_props(obj,
- *                          &err,
- *                          "share", "yes",
- *                          "mem-path", "/dev/shm/somefile",
- *                          "prealloc", "yes",
- *                          "size", "1048576",
- *                          NULL);
- *
- *   if (!obj) {
+ *   if (!object_set_props(obj,
+ *                         &err,
+ *                         "share", "yes",
+ *                         "mem-path", "/dev/shm/somefile",
+ *                         "prealloc", "yes",
+ *                         "size", "1048576",
+ *                         NULL)) {
  *     error_reportf_err(err, "Cannot set properties: ");
  *   }
  *   </programlisting>
@@ -746,11 +744,9 @@ void object_apply_compat_props(Object *obj);
  * The returned object will have one stable reference maintained
  * for as long as it is present in the object hierarchy.
  *
- * Returns: -1 on error, 0 on success
+ * Returns: %true on success, %false on error.
  */
-int object_set_props(Object *obj,
-                     Error **errp,
-                     ...) QEMU_SENTINEL;
+bool object_set_props(Object *obj, Error **errp, ...) QEMU_SENTINEL;
 
 /**
  * object_set_propv:
@@ -760,11 +756,9 @@ int object_set_props(Object *obj,
  *
  * See object_set_props() for documentation.
  *
- * Returns: -1 on error, 0 on success
+ * Returns: %true on success, %false on error.
  */
-int object_set_propv(Object *obj,
-                     Error **errp,
-                     va_list vargs);
+bool object_set_propv(Object *obj, Error **errp, va_list vargs);
 
 /**
  * object_initialize:
diff --git a/qom/object.c b/qom/object.c
index e71266bdb8..07618816a7 100644
--- a/qom/object.c
+++ b/qom/object.c
@@ -557,7 +557,7 @@ bool object_initialize_child_with_propsv(Object *parentobj,
     object_initialize(childobj, size, type);
     obj = OBJECT(childobj);
 
-    if (object_set_propv(obj, errp, vargs) < 0) {
+    if (!object_set_propv(obj, errp, vargs)) {
         goto out;
     }
 
@@ -752,7 +752,7 @@ Object *object_new_with_propv(const char *typename,
     }
     obj = object_new_with_type(klass->type);
 
-    if (object_set_propv(obj, errp, vargs) < 0) {
+    if (!object_set_propv(obj, errp, vargs)) {
         goto error;
     }
 
@@ -780,12 +780,12 @@ Object *object_new_with_propv(const char *typename,
 }
 
 
-int object_set_props(Object *obj,
+bool object_set_props(Object *obj,
                      Error **errp,
                      ...)
 {
     va_list vargs;
-    int ret;
+    bool ret;
 
     va_start(vargs, errp);
     ret = object_set_propv(obj, errp, vargs);
@@ -795,7 +795,7 @@ int object_set_props(Object *obj,
 }
 
 
-int object_set_propv(Object *obj,
+bool object_set_propv(Object *obj,
                      Error **errp,
                      va_list vargs)
 {
@@ -809,12 +809,12 @@ int object_set_propv(Object *obj,
         g_assert(value != NULL);
         if (!object_property_parse(obj, propname, value, &local_err)) {
             error_propagate(errp, local_err);
-            return -1;
+            return false;
         }
         propname = va_arg(vargs, char *);
     }
 
-    return 0;
+    return true;
 }