diff --git a/monitor.c b/monitor.c
index 0841d436b0..90c5bafcc3 100644
--- a/monitor.c
+++ b/monitor.c
@@ -3973,6 +3973,8 @@ void error_vprintf_unless_qmp(const char *fmt, va_list ap)
 {
     if (cur_mon && !monitor_cur_is_qmp()) {
         monitor_vprintf(cur_mon, fmt, ap);
+    } else if (!cur_mon) {
+        vfprintf(stderr, fmt, ap);
     }
 }