diff --git a/src/qemu/qemu_monitor_json.c b/src/qemu/qemu_monitor_json.c
index 9e06a4d27e51865ffadcc3dd937ff36d9654752e..ef8672cad3c51e2b24f62c76bc887f62af0d07f8 100644
--- a/src/qemu/qemu_monitor_json.c
+++ b/src/qemu/qemu_monitor_json.c
@@ -1219,11 +1219,7 @@ qemuMonitorJSONGetStatus(qemuMonitorPtr mon,
     if (qemuMonitorJSONCheckError(cmd, reply) < 0)
         goto cleanup;
 
-    if (!(data = virJSONValueObjectGetObject(reply, "return"))) {
-        virReportError(VIR_ERR_INTERNAL_ERROR, "%s",
-                       _("query-status reply was missing return data"));
-        goto cleanup;
-    }
+    data = virJSONValueObjectGetObject(reply, "return");
 
     if (virJSONValueObjectGetBoolean(data, "running", running) < 0) {
         virReportError(VIR_ERR_INTERNAL_ERROR, "%s",
@@ -1443,12 +1439,7 @@ int qemuMonitorJSONGetVirtType(qemuMonitorPtr mon,
     if (qemuMonitorJSONCheckError(cmd, reply) < 0)
         goto cleanup;
 
-
-    if (!(data = virJSONValueObjectGetObject(reply, "return"))) {
-        virReportError(VIR_ERR_INTERNAL_ERROR, "%s",
-                       _("info kvm reply was missing return data"));
-        goto cleanup;
-    }
+    data = virJSONValueObjectGetObject(reply, "return");
 
     if (virJSONValueObjectGetBoolean(data, "enabled", &val) < 0) {
         virReportError(VIR_ERR_INTERNAL_ERROR, "%s",
@@ -1609,12 +1600,7 @@ qemuMonitorJSONGetBalloonInfo(qemuMonitorPtr mon,
     if (qemuMonitorJSONCheckError(cmd, reply) < 0)
         goto cleanup;
 
-    /* Success */
-    if (!(data = virJSONValueObjectGetObject(reply, "return"))) {
-        virReportError(VIR_ERR_INTERNAL_ERROR, "%s",
-                       _("info balloon reply was missing return data"));
-        goto cleanup;
-    }
+    data = virJSONValueObjectGetObject(reply, "return");
 
     if (virJSONValueObjectGetNumberUlong(data, "actual", &mem) < 0) {
         virReportError(VIR_ERR_INTERNAL_ERROR, "%s",
@@ -1715,11 +1701,7 @@ int qemuMonitorJSONGetMemoryStats(qemuMonitorPtr mon,
     if (qemuMonitorJSONCheckError(cmd, reply) < 0)
         goto cleanup;
 
-    if (!(data = virJSONValueObjectGetObject(reply, "return"))) {
-        virReportError(VIR_ERR_INTERNAL_ERROR, "%s",
-                       _("qom-get reply was missing return data"));
-        goto cleanup;
-    }
+    data = virJSONValueObjectGetObject(reply, "return");
 
     if (!(statsdata = virJSONValueObjectGet(data, "stats"))) {
         VIR_DEBUG("data does not include 'stats'");
@@ -2679,11 +2661,7 @@ qemuMonitorJSONGetMigrationStatsReply(virJSONValuePtr reply,
     int rc;
     double mbps;
 
-    if (!(ret = virJSONValueObjectGetObject(reply, "return"))) {
-        virReportError(VIR_ERR_INTERNAL_ERROR, "%s",
-                       _("info migration reply was missing return data"));
-        return -1;
-    }
+    ret = virJSONValueObjectGetObject(reply, "return");
 
     if (!(statusstr = virJSONValueObjectGetString(ret, "status"))) {
         virReportError(VIR_ERR_INTERNAL_ERROR, "%s",
@@ -2976,11 +2954,7 @@ qemuMonitorJSONGetDumpGuestMemoryCapability(qemuMonitorPtr mon,
     if (qemuMonitorJSONCheckError(cmd, reply) < 0)
         goto cleanup;
 
-    if (!(caps = virJSONValueObjectGetObject(reply, "return"))) {
-        virReportError(VIR_ERR_INTERNAL_ERROR, "%s",
-                       _("missing dump guest memory capabilities"));
-        goto cleanup;
-    }
+    caps = virJSONValueObjectGetObject(reply, "return");
 
     if (!(formats = virJSONValueObjectGetArray(caps, "formats"))) {
         virReportError(VIR_ERR_INTERNAL_ERROR, "%s",
@@ -3160,11 +3134,6 @@ qemuMonitorJSONAddFd(qemuMonitorPtr mon, int fdset, int fd, const char *name)
     if (ret == 0) {
         virJSONValuePtr data = virJSONValueObjectGetObject(reply, "return");
 
-        if (!data) {
-            virReportError(VIR_ERR_INTERNAL_ERROR, "%s",
-                           _("missing return information"));
-            goto error;
-        }
         if (virJSONValueObjectGetNumberInt(data, "fd", &ret) < 0) {
             virReportError(VIR_ERR_INTERNAL_ERROR, "%s",
                            _("incomplete return information"));
@@ -4745,11 +4714,7 @@ int qemuMonitorJSONGetVersion(qemuMonitorPtr mon,
     if (qemuMonitorJSONCheckError(cmd, reply) < 0)
         goto cleanup;
 
-    if (!(data = virJSONValueObjectGetObject(reply, "return"))) {
-        virReportError(VIR_ERR_INTERNAL_ERROR, "%s",
-                       _("query-version reply was missing 'return' data"));
-        goto cleanup;
-    }
+    data = virJSONValueObjectGetObject(reply, "return");
 
     if (!(qemu = virJSONValueObjectGetObject(data, "qemu"))) {
         virReportError(VIR_ERR_INTERNAL_ERROR, "%s",
@@ -4815,13 +4780,8 @@ int qemuMonitorJSONGetMachines(qemuMonitorPtr mon,
     if (qemuMonitorJSONCheckError(cmd, reply) < 0)
         goto cleanup;
 
-    if (!(data = virJSONValueObjectGetArray(reply, "return"))) {
-        virReportError(VIR_ERR_INTERNAL_ERROR, "%s",
-                       _("query-machines reply was missing return data"));
-        goto cleanup;
-    }
-
-    if ((n = virJSONValueArraySize(data)) < 0) {
+    if (!(data = virJSONValueObjectGetArray(reply, "return")) ||
+        (n = virJSONValueArraySize(data)) < 0) {
         virReportError(VIR_ERR_INTERNAL_ERROR, "%s",
                        _("query-machines reply data was not an array"));
         goto cleanup;
@@ -4925,13 +4885,8 @@ qemuMonitorJSONGetCPUDefinitions(qemuMonitorPtr mon,
     if (qemuMonitorJSONCheckError(cmd, reply) < 0)
         goto cleanup;
 
-    if (!(data = virJSONValueObjectGetArray(reply, "return"))) {
-        virReportError(VIR_ERR_INTERNAL_ERROR, "%s",
-                       _("query-cpu-definitions reply was missing return data"));
-        goto cleanup;
-    }
-
-    if ((n = virJSONValueArraySize(data)) < 0) {
+    if (!(data = virJSONValueObjectGetArray(reply, "return")) ||
+        (n = virJSONValueArraySize(data)) < 0) {
         virReportError(VIR_ERR_INTERNAL_ERROR, "%s",
                        _("query-cpu-definitions reply data was not an array"));
         goto cleanup;
@@ -4998,13 +4953,8 @@ int qemuMonitorJSONGetCommands(qemuMonitorPtr mon,
     if (qemuMonitorJSONCheckError(cmd, reply) < 0)
         goto cleanup;
 
-    if (!(data = virJSONValueObjectGetArray(reply, "return"))) {
-        virReportError(VIR_ERR_INTERNAL_ERROR, "%s",
-                       _("query-commands reply was missing return data"));
-        goto cleanup;
-    }
-
-    if ((n = virJSONValueArraySize(data)) < 0) {
+    if (!(data = virJSONValueObjectGetArray(reply, "return")) ||
+        (n = virJSONValueArraySize(data)) < 0) {
         virReportError(VIR_ERR_INTERNAL_ERROR, "%s",
                        _("query-commands reply data was not an array"));
         goto cleanup;
@@ -5068,13 +5018,8 @@ int qemuMonitorJSONGetEvents(qemuMonitorPtr mon,
     if (qemuMonitorJSONCheckError(cmd, reply) < 0)
         goto cleanup;
 
-    if (!(data = virJSONValueObjectGetArray(reply, "return"))) {
-        virReportError(VIR_ERR_INTERNAL_ERROR, "%s",
-                       _("query-events reply was missing return data"));
-        goto cleanup;
-    }
-
-    if ((n = virJSONValueArraySize(data)) < 0) {
+    if (!(data = virJSONValueObjectGetArray(reply, "return")) ||
+        (n = virJSONValueArraySize(data)) < 0) {
         virReportError(VIR_ERR_INTERNAL_ERROR, "%s",
                        _("query-events reply data was not an array"));
         goto cleanup;
@@ -5258,11 +5203,7 @@ int qemuMonitorJSONGetKVMState(qemuMonitorPtr mon,
     if (qemuMonitorJSONCheckError(cmd, reply) < 0)
         goto cleanup;
 
-    if (!(data = virJSONValueObjectGetObject(reply, "return"))) {
-        virReportError(VIR_ERR_INTERNAL_ERROR, "%s",
-                       _("query-kvm reply was missing return data"));
-        goto cleanup;
-    }
+    data = virJSONValueObjectGetObject(reply, "return");
 
     if (virJSONValueObjectGetBoolean(data, "enabled", enabled) < 0 ||
         virJSONValueObjectGetBoolean(data, "present", present) < 0) {
@@ -5302,13 +5243,8 @@ int qemuMonitorJSONGetObjectTypes(qemuMonitorPtr mon,
     if (qemuMonitorJSONCheckError(cmd, reply) < 0)
         goto cleanup;
 
-    if (!(data = virJSONValueObjectGetArray(reply, "return"))) {
-        virReportError(VIR_ERR_INTERNAL_ERROR, "%s",
-                       _("qom-list-types reply was missing return data"));
-        goto cleanup;
-    }
-
-    if ((n = virJSONValueArraySize(data)) < 0) {
+    if (!(data = virJSONValueObjectGetArray(reply, "return")) ||
+        (n = virJSONValueArraySize(data)) < 0) {
         virReportError(VIR_ERR_INTERNAL_ERROR, "%s",
                        _("qom-list-types reply data was not an array"));
         goto cleanup;
@@ -5369,13 +5305,8 @@ int qemuMonitorJSONGetObjectListPaths(qemuMonitorPtr mon,
     if (qemuMonitorJSONCheckError(cmd, reply) < 0)
         goto cleanup;
 
-    if (!(data = virJSONValueObjectGetArray(reply, "return"))) {
-        virReportError(VIR_ERR_INTERNAL_ERROR, "%s",
-                       _("qom-list reply was missing return data"));
-        goto cleanup;
-    }
-
-    if ((n = virJSONValueArraySize(data)) < 0) {
+    if (!(data = virJSONValueObjectGetArray(reply, "return")) ||
+        (n = virJSONValueArraySize(data)) < 0) {
         virReportError(VIR_ERR_INTERNAL_ERROR, "%s",
                        _("qom-list reply data was not an array"));
         goto cleanup;
@@ -5613,13 +5544,8 @@ int qemuMonitorJSONGetObjectProps(qemuMonitorPtr mon,
     if (qemuMonitorJSONCheckError(cmd, reply) < 0)
         goto cleanup;
 
-    if (!(data = virJSONValueObjectGetArray(reply, "return"))) {
-        virReportError(VIR_ERR_INTERNAL_ERROR, "%s",
-                       _("device-list-properties reply was missing return data"));
-        goto cleanup;
-    }
-
-    if ((n = virJSONValueArraySize(data)) < 0) {
+    if (!(data = virJSONValueObjectGetArray(reply, "return")) ||
+        (n = virJSONValueArraySize(data)) < 0) {
         virReportError(VIR_ERR_INTERNAL_ERROR, "%s",
                        _("device-list-properties reply data was not an array"));
         goto cleanup;
@@ -5673,11 +5599,7 @@ qemuMonitorJSONGetTargetArch(qemuMonitorPtr mon)
     if (qemuMonitorJSONCheckError(cmd, reply) < 0)
         goto cleanup;
 
-    if (!(data = virJSONValueObjectGetObject(reply, "return"))) {
-        virReportError(VIR_ERR_INTERNAL_ERROR, "%s",
-                       _("query-target reply was missing return data"));
-        goto cleanup;
-    }
+    data = virJSONValueObjectGetObject(reply, "return");
 
     if (!(arch = virJSONValueObjectGetString(data, "arch"))) {
         virReportError(VIR_ERR_INTERNAL_ERROR, "%s",
@@ -6110,14 +6032,8 @@ qemuMonitorJSONGetStringArray(qemuMonitorPtr mon, const char *qmpCmd,
     if (qemuMonitorJSONCheckError(cmd, reply) < 0)
         goto cleanup;
 
-    if (!(data = virJSONValueObjectGetArray(reply, "return"))) {
-        virReportError(VIR_ERR_INTERNAL_ERROR,
-                       _("%s reply was missing return data"),
-                       qmpCmd);
-        goto cleanup;
-    }
-
-    if ((n = virJSONValueArraySize(data)) < 0) {
+    if (!(data = virJSONValueObjectGetArray(reply, "return")) ||
+        (n = virJSONValueArraySize(data)) < 0) {
         virReportError(VIR_ERR_INTERNAL_ERROR,
                        _("%s reply data was not an array"),
                        qmpCmd);
@@ -6329,15 +6245,9 @@ qemuMonitorJSONAttachCharDev(qemuMonitorPtr mon,
         goto cleanup;
 
     if (chr->type == VIR_DOMAIN_CHR_TYPE_PTY) {
-        virJSONValuePtr data;
+        virJSONValuePtr data = virJSONValueObjectGetObject(reply, "return");
         const char *path;
 
-        if (!(data = virJSONValueObjectGetObject(reply, "return"))) {
-            virReportError(VIR_ERR_INTERNAL_ERROR, "%s",
-                           _("chardev-add reply was missing return data"));
-            goto cleanup;
-        }
-
         if (!(path = virJSONValueObjectGetString(data, "pty"))) {
             virReportError(VIR_ERR_INTERNAL_ERROR, "%s",
                            _("chardev-add reply was missing pty path"));
@@ -6686,13 +6596,8 @@ qemuMonitorJSONGetIOThreads(qemuMonitorPtr mon,
     if (qemuMonitorJSONCheckError(cmd, reply) < 0)
         goto cleanup;
 
-    if (!(data = virJSONValueObjectGetArray(reply, "return"))) {
-        virReportError(VIR_ERR_INTERNAL_ERROR, "%s",
-                       _("query-iothreads reply was missing return data"));
-        goto cleanup;
-    }
-
-    if ((n = virJSONValueArraySize(data)) < 0) {
+    if (!(data = virJSONValueObjectGetArray(reply, "return")) ||
+        (n = virJSONValueArraySize(data)) < 0) {
         virReportError(VIR_ERR_INTERNAL_ERROR, "%s",
                        _("query-iothreads reply data was not an array"));
         goto cleanup;
@@ -6780,13 +6685,8 @@ qemuMonitorJSONGetMemoryDeviceInfo(qemuMonitorPtr mon,
     if (qemuMonitorJSONCheckError(cmd, reply) < 0)
         goto cleanup;
 
-    if (!(data = virJSONValueObjectGetArray(reply, "return"))) {
-        virReportError(VIR_ERR_INTERNAL_ERROR, "%s",
-                       _("query-memory-devices reply was missing return data"));
-        goto cleanup;
-    }
-
-    if ((n = virJSONValueArraySize(data)) < 0) {
+    if (!(data = virJSONValueObjectGetArray(reply, "return")) ||
+        (n = virJSONValueArraySize(data)) < 0) {
         virReportError(VIR_ERR_INTERNAL_ERROR, "%s",
                        _("query-memory-devices reply data was not an array"));
         goto cleanup;