diff --git a/accel/kvm/kvm-all.c b/accel/kvm/kvm-all.c
index c3aaabf304d75a14b98b7130c2d6f5af6d9f3eb5..5d0de9d0a8f8716de69c1cbe2cd010aba67c6bb1 100644
--- a/accel/kvm/kvm-all.c
+++ b/accel/kvm/kvm-all.c
@@ -1462,6 +1462,50 @@ static int kvm_dirty_ring_reaper_init(KVMState *s)
     return 0;
 }
 
+static int kvm_dirty_ring_init(KVMState *s)
+{
+    uint32_t ring_size = s->kvm_dirty_ring_size;
+    uint64_t ring_bytes = ring_size * sizeof(struct kvm_dirty_gfn);
+    int ret;
+
+    s->kvm_dirty_ring_size = 0;
+    s->kvm_dirty_ring_bytes = 0;
+
+    /* Bail if the dirty ring size isn't specified */
+    if (!ring_size) {
+        return 0;
+    }
+
+    /*
+     * Read the max supported pages. Fall back to dirty logging mode
+     * if the dirty ring isn't supported.
+     */
+    ret = kvm_vm_check_extension(s, KVM_CAP_DIRTY_LOG_RING);
+    if (ret <= 0) {
+        warn_report("KVM dirty ring not available, using bitmap method");
+        return 0;
+    }
+
+    if (ring_bytes > ret) {
+        error_report("KVM dirty ring size %" PRIu32 " too big "
+                     "(maximum is %ld).  Please use a smaller value.",
+                     ring_size, (long)ret / sizeof(struct kvm_dirty_gfn));
+        return -EINVAL;
+    }
+
+    ret = kvm_vm_enable_cap(s, KVM_CAP_DIRTY_LOG_RING, 0, ring_bytes);
+    if (ret) {
+        error_report("Enabling of KVM dirty ring failed: %s. "
+                     "Suggested minimum value is 1024.", strerror(-ret));
+        return -EIO;
+    }
+
+    s->kvm_dirty_ring_size = ring_size;
+    s->kvm_dirty_ring_bytes = ring_bytes;
+
+    return 0;
+}
+
 static void kvm_region_add(MemoryListener *listener,
                            MemoryRegionSection *section)
 {
@@ -2531,35 +2575,9 @@ static int kvm_init(MachineState *ms)
      * Enable KVM dirty ring if supported, otherwise fall back to
      * dirty logging mode
      */
-    if (s->kvm_dirty_ring_size > 0) {
-        uint64_t ring_bytes;
-
-        ring_bytes = s->kvm_dirty_ring_size * sizeof(struct kvm_dirty_gfn);
-
-        /* Read the max supported pages */
-        ret = kvm_vm_check_extension(s, KVM_CAP_DIRTY_LOG_RING);
-        if (ret > 0) {
-            if (ring_bytes > ret) {
-                error_report("KVM dirty ring size %" PRIu32 " too big "
-                             "(maximum is %ld).  Please use a smaller value.",
-                             s->kvm_dirty_ring_size,
-                             (long)ret / sizeof(struct kvm_dirty_gfn));
-                ret = -EINVAL;
-                goto err;
-            }
-
-            ret = kvm_vm_enable_cap(s, KVM_CAP_DIRTY_LOG_RING, 0, ring_bytes);
-            if (ret) {
-                error_report("Enabling of KVM dirty ring failed: %s. "
-                             "Suggested minimum value is 1024.", strerror(-ret));
-                goto err;
-            }
-
-            s->kvm_dirty_ring_bytes = ring_bytes;
-         } else {
-             warn_report("KVM dirty ring not available, using bitmap method");
-             s->kvm_dirty_ring_size = 0;
-        }
+    ret = kvm_dirty_ring_init(s);
+    if (ret < 0) {
+        goto err;
     }
 
     /*