diff --git a/hw/ppc/spapr_drc.c b/hw/ppc/spapr_drc.c
index 8a045d6b93..2edb7d1e9c 100644
--- a/hw/ppc/spapr_drc.c
+++ b/hw/ppc/spapr_drc.c
@@ -366,7 +366,8 @@ static void prop_get_fdt(Object *obj, Visitor *v, const char *name,
             break;
         }
         default:
-            error_setg(&error_abort, "device FDT in unexpected state: %d", tag);
+            error_report("device FDT in unexpected state: %d", tag);
+            abort();
         }
         fdt_offset = fdt_offset_next;
     } while (fdt_depth != 0);