diff --git a/src/qemu/qemu_domain.c b/src/qemu/qemu_domain.c
index 420e1710b8..7a0be12aa0 100644
--- a/src/qemu/qemu_domain.c
+++ b/src/qemu/qemu_domain.c
@@ -1288,8 +1288,9 @@ qemuDomainObjEnterMonitorInternal(virQEMUDriverPtr driver,
     qemuDomainObjPrivatePtr priv = obj->privateData;
 
     if (asyncJob != QEMU_ASYNC_JOB_NONE) {
-        if (qemuDomainObjBeginNestedJob(driver, obj, asyncJob) < 0)
-            return -1;
+        int ret;
+        if ((ret = qemuDomainObjBeginNestedJob(driver, obj, asyncJob)) < 0)
+            return ret;
         if (!virDomainObjIsActive(obj)) {
             virReportError(VIR_ERR_OPERATION_FAILED, "%s",
                            _("domain is no longer running"));
@@ -1368,8 +1369,9 @@ void qemuDomainObjExitMonitor(virQEMUDriverPtr driver,
  * with the same asyncJob.
  *
  * Returns 0 if job was started, in which case this must be followed with
- * qemuDomainObjExitMonitor(); or -1 if the job could not be
- * started (probably because the vm exited in the meantime).
+ * qemuDomainObjExitMonitor(); -2 if waiting for the nested job times out;
+ * or -1 if the job could not be started (probably because the vm exited
+ * in the meantime).
  */
 int
 qemuDomainObjEnterMonitorAsync(virQEMUDriverPtr driver,
diff --git a/src/qemu/qemu_migration.c b/src/qemu/qemu_migration.c
index a9f7fea764..f0df1a6044 100644
--- a/src/qemu/qemu_migration.c
+++ b/src/qemu/qemu_migration.c
@@ -1714,8 +1714,9 @@ qemuMigrationUpdateJobStatus(virQEMUDriverPtr driver,
 
     ret = qemuDomainObjEnterMonitorAsync(driver, vm, asyncJob);
     if (ret < 0) {
-        /* Guest already exited; nothing further to update.  */
-        return -1;
+        /* Guest already exited or waiting for the job timed out; nothing
+         * further to update. */
+        return ret;
     }
     ret = qemuMonitorGetMigrationStatus(priv->mon, &status);
 
@@ -1812,7 +1813,7 @@ qemuMigrationWaitForCompletion(virQEMUDriverPtr driver, virDomainObjPtr vm,
         /* Poll every 50ms for progress & to allow cancellation */
         struct timespec ts = { .tv_sec = 0, .tv_nsec = 50 * 1000 * 1000ull };
 
-        if (qemuMigrationUpdateJobStatus(driver, vm, job, asyncJob) < 0)
+        if (qemuMigrationUpdateJobStatus(driver, vm, job, asyncJob) == -1)
             goto cleanup;
 
         /* cancel migration if disk I/O error is emitted while migrating */