diff --git a/migration/migration.c b/migration/migration.c
index 27e4456429..f81ac21d4e 100644
--- a/migration/migration.c
+++ b/migration/migration.c
@@ -3540,7 +3540,7 @@ static void *migration_thread(void *opaque)
     }
 
     bql_lock();
-    ret = qemu_savevm_state_setup(s->to_dst_file, &local_err);
+    ret = qemu_savevm_state_do_setup(s->to_dst_file, &local_err);
     bql_unlock();
 
     qemu_savevm_wait_unplug(s, MIGRATION_STATUS_SETUP,
@@ -3663,7 +3663,7 @@ static void *bg_migration_thread(void *opaque)
 
     bql_lock();
     qemu_savevm_state_header(s->to_dst_file);
-    ret = qemu_savevm_state_setup(s->to_dst_file, &local_err);
+    ret = qemu_savevm_state_do_setup(s->to_dst_file, &local_err);
     bql_unlock();
 
     qemu_savevm_wait_unplug(s, MIGRATION_STATUS_SETUP,
diff --git a/migration/savevm.c b/migration/savevm.c
index 0683a103c8..b04a21ffc9 100644
--- a/migration/savevm.c
+++ b/migration/savevm.c
@@ -1367,29 +1367,33 @@ int qemu_savevm_state_prepare(Error **errp)
     return 0;
 }
 
-int qemu_savevm_state_setup(QEMUFile *f, Error **errp)
+int qemu_savevm_state_non_iterable_early(QEMUFile *f,
+                                         JSONWriter *vmdesc,
+                                         Error **errp)
 {
-    ERRP_GUARD();
-    MigrationState *ms = migrate_get_current();
-    JSONWriter *vmdesc = ms->vmdesc;
     SaveStateEntry *se;
-    int ret = 0;
+    int ret;
 
-    if (vmdesc) {
-        json_writer_int64(vmdesc, "page_size", qemu_target_page_size());
-        json_writer_start_array(vmdesc, "devices");
-    }
-
-    trace_savevm_state_setup();
     QTAILQ_FOREACH(se, &savevm_state.handlers, entry) {
         if (se->vmsd && se->vmsd->early_setup) {
             ret = vmstate_save(f, se, vmdesc, errp);
             if (ret) {
-                break;
+                return ret;
             }
-            continue;
         }
+    }
 
+    return 0;
+}
+
+static int qemu_savevm_state_setup(QEMUFile *f, Error **errp)
+{
+    SaveStateEntry *se;
+    int ret;
+
+    trace_savevm_state_setup();
+
+    QTAILQ_FOREACH(se, &savevm_state.handlers, entry) {
         if (!se->ops || !se->ops->save_setup) {
             continue;
         }
@@ -1399,14 +1403,34 @@ int qemu_savevm_state_setup(QEMUFile *f, Error **errp)
             }
         }
         save_section_header(f, se, QEMU_VM_SECTION_START);
-
         ret = se->ops->save_setup(f, se->opaque, errp);
         save_section_footer(f, se);
         if (ret < 0) {
-            break;
+            return ret;
         }
     }
 
+    return 0;
+}
+
+int qemu_savevm_state_do_setup(QEMUFile *f, Error **errp)
+{
+    ERRP_GUARD();
+    MigrationState *ms = migrate_get_current();
+    JSONWriter *vmdesc = ms->vmdesc;
+    int ret;
+
+    if (vmdesc) {
+        json_writer_int64(vmdesc, "page_size", qemu_target_page_size());
+        json_writer_start_array(vmdesc, "devices");
+    }
+
+    ret = qemu_savevm_state_non_iterable_early(f, vmdesc, errp);
+    if (ret) {
+        return ret;
+    }
+
+    ret = qemu_savevm_state_setup(f, errp);
     if (ret) {
         return ret;
     }
@@ -1826,7 +1850,7 @@ static int qemu_savevm_state(QEMUFile *f, Error **errp)
     ms->to_dst_file = f;
 
     qemu_savevm_state_header(f);
-    ret = qemu_savevm_state_setup(f, errp);
+    ret = qemu_savevm_state_do_setup(f, errp);
     if (ret) {
         goto cleanup;
     }
diff --git a/migration/savevm.h b/migration/savevm.h
index bded5e2a6c..f2750eca09 100644
--- a/migration/savevm.h
+++ b/migration/savevm.h
@@ -34,7 +34,7 @@
 bool qemu_savevm_state_blocked(Error **errp);
 void qemu_savevm_non_migratable_list(strList **reasons);
 int qemu_savevm_state_prepare(Error **errp);
-int qemu_savevm_state_setup(QEMUFile *f, Error **errp);
+int qemu_savevm_state_do_setup(QEMUFile *f, Error **errp);
 bool qemu_savevm_state_guest_unplug_pending(void);
 int qemu_savevm_state_resume_prepare(MigrationState *s);
 void qemu_savevm_send_header(QEMUFile *f);
@@ -75,7 +75,9 @@ int qemu_loadvm_state_main(QEMUFile *f, MigrationIncomingState *mis,
 int qemu_load_device_state(QEMUFile *f, Error **errp);
 int qemu_loadvm_approve_switchover(void);
 int qemu_savevm_state_non_iterable(QEMUFile *f);
-
+int qemu_savevm_state_non_iterable_early(QEMUFile *f,
+                                         JSONWriter *vmdesc,
+                                         Error **errp);
 bool qemu_loadvm_load_state_buffer(const char *idstr, uint32_t instance_id,
                                    char *buf, size_t len, Error **errp);