diff --git a/ebpf/ebpf_rss.h b/ebpf/ebpf_rss.h
index bf3f2572c7..1128173572 100644
--- a/ebpf/ebpf_rss.h
+++ b/ebpf/ebpf_rss.h
@@ -36,7 +36,7 @@ bool ebpf_rss_is_loaded(struct EBPFRSSContext *ctx);
 
 bool ebpf_rss_load(struct EBPFRSSContext *ctx);
 
-bool ebpf_rss_set_all(struct EBPFRSSContext *ctx, struct EBPFRSSConfig *config,
+void ebpf_rss_set_all(struct EBPFRSSContext *ctx, struct EBPFRSSConfig *config,
                       uint16_t *indirections_table, uint8_t *toeplitz_key);
 
 void ebpf_rss_unload(struct EBPFRSSContext *ctx);
diff --git a/ebpf/ebpf_rss-stub.c b/ebpf/ebpf_rss-stub.c
index e71e229190..525b358597 100644
--- a/ebpf/ebpf_rss-stub.c
+++ b/ebpf/ebpf_rss-stub.c
@@ -28,10 +28,10 @@ bool ebpf_rss_load(struct EBPFRSSContext *ctx)
     return false;
 }
 
-bool ebpf_rss_set_all(struct EBPFRSSContext *ctx, struct EBPFRSSConfig *config,
+void ebpf_rss_set_all(struct EBPFRSSContext *ctx, struct EBPFRSSConfig *config,
                       uint16_t *indirections_table, uint8_t *toeplitz_key)
 {
-    return false;
+    g_assert_not_reached();
 }
 
 void ebpf_rss_unload(struct EBPFRSSContext *ctx)
diff --git a/ebpf/ebpf_rss.c b/ebpf/ebpf_rss.c
index cee658c158..6cdf82d059 100644
--- a/ebpf/ebpf_rss.c
+++ b/ebpf/ebpf_rss.c
@@ -74,42 +74,32 @@ error:
     return false;
 }
 
-static bool ebpf_rss_set_config(struct EBPFRSSContext *ctx,
+static void ebpf_rss_set_config(struct EBPFRSSContext *ctx,
                                 struct EBPFRSSConfig *config)
 {
     uint32_t map_key = 0;
 
-    if (!ebpf_rss_is_loaded(ctx)) {
-        return false;
-    }
-    if (bpf_map_update_elem(ctx->map_configuration,
-                            &map_key, config, 0) < 0) {
-        return false;
-    }
-    return true;
+    assert(ebpf_rss_is_loaded(ctx));
+    assert(!bpf_map_update_elem(ctx->map_configuration, &map_key, config, 0));
 }
 
-static bool ebpf_rss_set_indirections_table(struct EBPFRSSContext *ctx,
+static void ebpf_rss_set_indirections_table(struct EBPFRSSContext *ctx,
                                             uint16_t *indirections_table,
                                             size_t len)
 {
     uint32_t i = 0;
 
-    if (!ebpf_rss_is_loaded(ctx) || indirections_table == NULL ||
-       len > VIRTIO_NET_RSS_MAX_TABLE_LEN) {
-        return false;
-    }
+    assert(ebpf_rss_is_loaded(ctx));
+    assert(indirections_table);
+    assert(len <= VIRTIO_NET_RSS_MAX_TABLE_LEN);
 
     for (; i < len; ++i) {
-        if (bpf_map_update_elem(ctx->map_indirections_table, &i,
-                                indirections_table + i, 0) < 0) {
-            return false;
-        }
+        assert(!bpf_map_update_elem(ctx->map_indirections_table, &i,
+                                    indirections_table + i, 0));
     }
-    return true;
 }
 
-static bool ebpf_rss_set_toepliz_key(struct EBPFRSSContext *ctx,
+static void ebpf_rss_set_toepliz_key(struct EBPFRSSContext *ctx,
                                      uint8_t *toeplitz_key)
 {
     uint32_t map_key = 0;
@@ -117,41 +107,29 @@ static bool ebpf_rss_set_toepliz_key(struct EBPFRSSContext *ctx,
     /* prepare toeplitz key */
     uint8_t toe[VIRTIO_NET_RSS_MAX_KEY_SIZE] = {};
 
-    if (!ebpf_rss_is_loaded(ctx) || toeplitz_key == NULL) {
-        return false;
-    }
+    assert(ebpf_rss_is_loaded(ctx));
+    assert(toeplitz_key);
+
     memcpy(toe, toeplitz_key, VIRTIO_NET_RSS_MAX_KEY_SIZE);
     *(uint32_t *)toe = ntohl(*(uint32_t *)toe);
 
-    if (bpf_map_update_elem(ctx->map_toeplitz_key, &map_key, toe,
-                            0) < 0) {
-        return false;
-    }
-    return true;
+    assert(!bpf_map_update_elem(ctx->map_toeplitz_key, &map_key, toe, 0));
 }
 
-bool ebpf_rss_set_all(struct EBPFRSSContext *ctx, struct EBPFRSSConfig *config,
+void ebpf_rss_set_all(struct EBPFRSSContext *ctx, struct EBPFRSSConfig *config,
                       uint16_t *indirections_table, uint8_t *toeplitz_key)
 {
-    if (!ebpf_rss_is_loaded(ctx) || config == NULL ||
-        indirections_table == NULL || toeplitz_key == NULL) {
-        return false;
-    }
-
-    if (!ebpf_rss_set_config(ctx, config)) {
-        return false;
-    }
+    assert(ebpf_rss_is_loaded(ctx));
+    assert(config);
+    assert(indirections_table);
+    assert(toeplitz_key);
 
-    if (!ebpf_rss_set_indirections_table(ctx, indirections_table,
-                                      config->indirections_len)) {
-        return false;
-    }
+    ebpf_rss_set_config(ctx, config);
 
-    if (!ebpf_rss_set_toepliz_key(ctx, toeplitz_key)) {
-        return false;
-    }
+    ebpf_rss_set_indirections_table(ctx, indirections_table,
+                                    config->indirections_len);
 
-    return true;
+    ebpf_rss_set_toepliz_key(ctx, toeplitz_key);
 }
 
 void ebpf_rss_unload(struct EBPFRSSContext *ctx)
diff --git a/hw/net/virtio-net.c b/hw/net/virtio-net.c
index 25fc06bd93..20feb20bb1 100644
--- a/hw/net/virtio-net.c
+++ b/hw/net/virtio-net.c
@@ -1242,14 +1242,10 @@ static bool virtio_net_attach_epbf_rss(VirtIONet *n)
 
     rss_data_to_rss_config(&n->rss_data, &config);
 
-    if (!ebpf_rss_set_all(&n->ebpf_rss, &config,
-                          n->rss_data.indirections_table, n->rss_data.key)) {
-        return false;
-    }
+    ebpf_rss_set_all(&n->ebpf_rss, &config,
+                     n->rss_data.indirections_table, n->rss_data.key);
 
-    if (!virtio_net_attach_ebpf_to_backend(n->nic, n->ebpf_rss.program_fd)) {
-        return false;
-    }
+    assert(virtio_net_attach_ebpf_to_backend(n->nic, n->ebpf_rss.program_fd));
 
     return true;
 }
@@ -1266,12 +1262,7 @@ static void virtio_net_commit_rss_config(VirtIONet *n)
         if (n->rss_data.populate_hash) {
             virtio_net_detach_epbf_rss(n);
         } else if (!virtio_net_attach_epbf_rss(n)) {
-            if (get_vhost_net(qemu_get_queue(n->nic)->peer)) {
-                warn_report("Can't use eBPF RSS for vhost");
-            } else {
-                warn_report("Can't use eBPF RSS - fallback to software RSS");
-                n->rss_data.enabled_software_rss = true;
-            }
+            n->rss_data.enabled_software_rss = true;
         }
 
         trace_virtio_net_rss_enable(n->rss_data.hash_types,
@@ -3514,6 +3505,50 @@ static bool failover_hide_primary_device(DeviceListener *listener,
     return qatomic_read(&n->failover_primary_hidden);
 }
 
+static void virtio_net_device_unrealize(DeviceState *dev)
+{
+    VirtIODevice *vdev = VIRTIO_DEVICE(dev);
+    VirtIONet *n = VIRTIO_NET(dev);
+    int i, max_queue_pairs;
+
+    if (virtio_has_feature(n->host_features, VIRTIO_NET_F_RSS)) {
+        virtio_net_unload_ebpf(n);
+    }
+
+    /* This will stop vhost backend if appropriate. */
+    virtio_net_set_status(vdev, 0);
+
+    g_free(n->netclient_name);
+    n->netclient_name = NULL;
+    g_free(n->netclient_type);
+    n->netclient_type = NULL;
+
+    g_free(n->mac_table.macs);
+    g_free(n->vlans);
+
+    if (n->failover) {
+        qobject_unref(n->primary_opts);
+        device_listener_unregister(&n->primary_listener);
+        remove_migration_state_change_notifier(&n->migration_state);
+    } else {
+        assert(n->primary_opts == NULL);
+    }
+
+    max_queue_pairs = n->multiqueue ? n->max_queue_pairs : 1;
+    for (i = 0; i < max_queue_pairs; i++) {
+        virtio_net_del_queue(n, i);
+    }
+    /* delete also control vq */
+    virtio_del_queue(vdev, max_queue_pairs * 2);
+    qemu_announce_timer_del(&n->announce_timer, false);
+    g_free(n->vqs);
+    qemu_del_nic(n->nic);
+    virtio_net_rsc_cleanup(n);
+    g_free(n->rss_data.indirections_table);
+    net_rx_pkt_uninit(n->rx_pkt);
+    virtio_cleanup(vdev);
+}
+
 static void virtio_net_device_realize(DeviceState *dev, Error **errp)
 {
     VirtIODevice *vdev = VIRTIO_DEVICE(dev);
@@ -3685,53 +3720,16 @@ static void virtio_net_device_realize(DeviceState *dev, Error **errp)
 
     net_rx_pkt_init(&n->rx_pkt);
 
-    if (virtio_has_feature(n->host_features, VIRTIO_NET_F_RSS)) {
-        virtio_net_load_ebpf(n);
-    }
-}
-
-static void virtio_net_device_unrealize(DeviceState *dev)
-{
-    VirtIODevice *vdev = VIRTIO_DEVICE(dev);
-    VirtIONet *n = VIRTIO_NET(dev);
-    int i, max_queue_pairs;
-
-    if (virtio_has_feature(n->host_features, VIRTIO_NET_F_RSS)) {
-        virtio_net_unload_ebpf(n);
-    }
-
-    /* This will stop vhost backend if appropriate. */
-    virtio_net_set_status(vdev, 0);
-
-    g_free(n->netclient_name);
-    n->netclient_name = NULL;
-    g_free(n->netclient_type);
-    n->netclient_type = NULL;
-
-    g_free(n->mac_table.macs);
-    g_free(n->vlans);
-
-    if (n->failover) {
-        qobject_unref(n->primary_opts);
-        device_listener_unregister(&n->primary_listener);
-        remove_migration_state_change_notifier(&n->migration_state);
-    } else {
-        assert(n->primary_opts == NULL);
-    }
+    if (virtio_has_feature(n->host_features, VIRTIO_NET_F_RSS) &&
+        !virtio_net_load_ebpf(n)) {
+        if (get_vhost_net(nc->peer)) {
+            error_setg(errp, "Can't load eBPF RSS for vhost");
+            virtio_net_device_unrealize(dev);
+            return;
+        }
 
-    max_queue_pairs = n->multiqueue ? n->max_queue_pairs : 1;
-    for (i = 0; i < max_queue_pairs; i++) {
-        virtio_net_del_queue(n, i);
+        warn_report_once("Can't load eBPF RSS - fallback to software RSS");
     }
-    /* delete also control vq */
-    virtio_del_queue(vdev, max_queue_pairs * 2);
-    qemu_announce_timer_del(&n->announce_timer, false);
-    g_free(n->vqs);
-    qemu_del_nic(n->nic);
-    virtio_net_rsc_cleanup(n);
-    g_free(n->rss_data.indirections_table);
-    net_rx_pkt_uninit(n->rx_pkt);
-    virtio_cleanup(vdev);
 }
 
 static void virtio_net_reset(VirtIODevice *vdev)
