diff --git a/src/core/devices/nm-device.c b/src/core/devices/nm-device.c
index aed6023cc5..0a649c3d7f 100644
--- a/src/core/devices/nm-device.c
+++ b/src/core/devices/nm-device.c
@@ -10390,6 +10390,43 @@ sriov_params_cb(GError *error, gpointer user_data)
     nm_device_activate_schedule_stage1_device_prepare(self, FALSE);
 }
 
+static gboolean
+sriov_gen_platform_vfs(NMDevice       *self,
+                       NMSettingSriov *s_sriov,
+                       NMPlatformVF ***plat_vfs_out,
+                       GError        **error)
+{
+    nm_auto_freev NMPlatformVF **plat_vfs = NULL;
+    guint                        num;
+
+    nm_assert(s_sriov);
+    nm_assert(plat_vfs_out && !*plat_vfs_out);
+
+    num      = nm_setting_sriov_get_num_vfs(s_sriov);
+    plat_vfs = g_new0(NMPlatformVF *, num + 1);
+
+    for (int i = 0; i < num; i++) {
+        NMSriovVF            *vf    = nm_setting_sriov_get_vf(s_sriov, i);
+        gs_free_error GError *local = NULL;
+
+        plat_vfs[i] = sriov_vf_config_to_platform(self, vf, &local);
+
+        if (!plat_vfs[i]) {
+            g_set_error(error,
+                        local->domain,
+                        local->code,
+                        "VF '%s' is invalid: %s",
+                        nm_utils_sriov_vf_to_str(vf, FALSE, NULL),
+                        local->message);
+            return FALSE;
+        }
+    }
+
+    *plat_vfs_out = g_steal_pointer(&plat_vfs);
+
+    return TRUE;
+}
+
 /*
  * activate_stage1_device_prepare
  *
@@ -10436,10 +10473,7 @@ activate_stage1_device_prepare(NMDevice *self)
         if (s_sriov && nm_device_has_capability(self, NM_DEVICE_CAP_SRIOV)) {
             nm_auto_freev NMPlatformVF **plat_vfs = NULL;
             gs_free_error GError        *error    = NULL;
-            NMSriovVF                   *vf;
             NMTernary                    autoprobe;
-            guint                        num;
-            guint                        i;
 
             autoprobe = nm_setting_sriov_get_autoprobe_drivers(s_sriov);
             if (autoprobe == NM_TERNARY_DEFAULT) {
@@ -10452,21 +10486,12 @@ activate_stage1_device_prepare(NMDevice *self)
                     NM_OPTION_BOOL_TRUE);
             }
 
-            num      = nm_setting_sriov_get_num_vfs(s_sriov);
-            plat_vfs = g_new0(NMPlatformVF *, num + 1);
-            for (i = 0; i < num; i++) {
-                vf          = nm_setting_sriov_get_vf(s_sriov, i);
-                plat_vfs[i] = sriov_vf_config_to_platform(self, vf, &error);
-                if (!plat_vfs[i]) {
-                    _LOGE(LOGD_DEVICE,
-                          "failed to apply SR-IOV VF '%s': %s",
-                          nm_utils_sriov_vf_to_str(vf, FALSE, NULL),
-                          error->message);
-                    nm_device_state_changed(self,
-                                            NM_DEVICE_STATE_FAILED,
-                                            NM_DEVICE_STATE_REASON_SRIOV_CONFIGURATION_FAILED);
-                    return;
-                }
+            if (!sriov_gen_platform_vfs(self, s_sriov, &plat_vfs, &error)) {
+                _LOGE(LOGD_DEVICE, "cannot parse the VF list: %s", error->message);
+                nm_device_state_changed(self,
+                                        NM_DEVICE_STATE_FAILED,
+                                        NM_DEVICE_STATE_REASON_SRIOV_CONFIGURATION_FAILED);
+                return;
             }
 
             /* When changing the number of VFs the kernel can block