1 files changed, 11 insertions, 7 deletions

diff --git a/net/net.c b/net/net.c
index 2db160e063..8ddafacf13 100644
--- a/net/net.c
+++ b/net/net.c
@@ -1036,19 +1036,23 @@ static int net_client_init1(const Netdev *netdev, bool is_netdev, Error **errp)
     if (is_netdev) {
         if (netdev->type == NET_CLIENT_DRIVER_NIC ||
             !net_client_init_fun[netdev->type]) {
-            error_setg(errp, QERR_INVALID_PARAMETER_VALUE, "type",
-                       "a netdev backend type");
+            error_setg(errp, "network backend '%s' is not compiled into this binary",
+                       NetClientDriver_str(netdev->type));
             return -1;
         }
     } else {
         if (netdev->type == NET_CLIENT_DRIVER_NONE) {
             return 0; /* nothing to do */
         }
-        if (netdev->type == NET_CLIENT_DRIVER_HUBPORT ||
-            !net_client_init_fun[netdev->type]) {
-            error_setg(errp, QERR_INVALID_PARAMETER_VALUE, "type",
-                       "a net backend type (maybe it is not compiled "
-                       "into this binary)");
+        if (netdev->type == NET_CLIENT_DRIVER_HUBPORT) {
+            error_setg(errp, "network backend '%s' is only supported with -netdev/-nic",
+                       NetClientDriver_str(netdev->type));
+            return -1;
+        }
+
+        if (!net_client_init_fun[netdev->type]) {
+            error_setg(errp, "network backend '%s' is not compiled into this binary",
+                       NetClientDriver_str(netdev->type));
             return -1;
         }