diff --git a/tools/testing/selftests/kvm/lib/aarch64/processor.c b/tools/testing/selftests/kvm/lib/aarch64/processor.c
index 9343d82519b4..06c3dafc82c4 100644
--- a/tools/testing/selftests/kvm/lib/aarch64/processor.c
+++ b/tools/testing/selftests/kvm/lib/aarch64/processor.c
@@ -469,8 +469,8 @@ void aarch64_get_supported_page_sizes(uint32_t ipa,
 	};
 
 	kvm_fd = open_kvm_dev_path_or_exit();
-	vm_fd = ioctl(kvm_fd, KVM_CREATE_VM, ipa);
-	TEST_ASSERT(vm_fd >= 0, "Can't create VM");
+	vm_fd = __kvm_ioctl(kvm_fd, KVM_CREATE_VM, ipa);
+	TEST_ASSERT(vm_fd >= 0, KVM_IOCTL_ERROR(KVM_CREATE_VM, vm_fd));
 
 	vcpu_fd = ioctl(vm_fd, KVM_CREATE_VCPU, 0);
 	TEST_ASSERT(vcpu_fd >= 0, "Can't create vcpu");
diff --git a/tools/testing/selftests/kvm/lib/guest_modes.c b/tools/testing/selftests/kvm/lib/guest_modes.c
index 8784013b747c..9ab27b4169bf 100644
--- a/tools/testing/selftests/kvm/lib/guest_modes.c
+++ b/tools/testing/selftests/kvm/lib/guest_modes.c
@@ -65,7 +65,7 @@ void guest_modes_append_default(void)
 		struct kvm_s390_vm_cpu_processor info;
 
 		kvm_fd = open_kvm_dev_path_or_exit();
-		vm_fd = ioctl(kvm_fd, KVM_CREATE_VM, 0);
+		vm_fd = __kvm_ioctl(kvm_fd, KVM_CREATE_VM, 0);
 		kvm_device_access(vm_fd, KVM_S390_VM_CPU_MODEL,
 				  KVM_S390_VM_CPU_PROCESSOR, &info, false);
 		close(vm_fd);
diff --git a/tools/testing/selftests/kvm/lib/kvm_util.c b/tools/testing/selftests/kvm/lib/kvm_util.c
index ac8faf072288..4d2748e8428a 100644
--- a/tools/testing/selftests/kvm/lib/kvm_util.c
+++ b/tools/testing/selftests/kvm/lib/kvm_util.c
@@ -76,9 +76,8 @@ int kvm_check_cap(long cap)
 	int kvm_fd;
 
 	kvm_fd = open_kvm_dev_path_or_exit();
-	ret = ioctl(kvm_fd, KVM_CHECK_EXTENSION, cap);
-	TEST_ASSERT(ret >= 0, "KVM_CHECK_EXTENSION IOCTL failed,\n"
-		"  rc: %i errno: %i", ret, errno);
+	ret = __kvm_ioctl(kvm_fd, KVM_CHECK_EXTENSION, cap);
+	TEST_ASSERT(ret >= 0, KVM_IOCTL_ERROR(KVM_CHECK_EXTENSION, ret));
 
 	close(kvm_fd);
 
@@ -104,9 +103,8 @@ static void vm_open(struct kvm_vm *vm)
 		exit(KSFT_SKIP);
 	}
 
-	vm->fd = ioctl(vm->kvm_fd, KVM_CREATE_VM, vm->type);
-	TEST_ASSERT(vm->fd >= 0, "KVM_CREATE_VM ioctl failed, "
-		"rc: %i errno: %i", vm->fd, errno);
+	vm->fd = __kvm_ioctl(vm->kvm_fd, KVM_CREATE_VM, vm->type);
+	TEST_ASSERT(vm->fd >= 0, KVM_IOCTL_ERROR(KVM_CREATE_VM, vm->fd));
 }
 
 const char *vm_guest_mode_string(uint32_t i)
@@ -1070,8 +1068,7 @@ static int vcpu_mmap_sz(void)
 
 	ret = ioctl(dev_fd, KVM_GET_VCPU_MMAP_SIZE, NULL);
 	TEST_ASSERT(ret >= sizeof(struct kvm_run),
-		"%s KVM_GET_VCPU_MMAP_SIZE ioctl failed, rc: %i errno: %i",
-		__func__, ret, errno);
+		    KVM_IOCTL_ERROR(KVM_GET_VCPU_MMAP_SIZE, ret));
 
 	close(dev_fd);
 
diff --git a/tools/testing/selftests/kvm/lib/x86_64/processor.c b/tools/testing/selftests/kvm/lib/x86_64/processor.c
index bd9d1b63b848..6113cf6bb238 100644
--- a/tools/testing/selftests/kvm/lib/x86_64/processor.c
+++ b/tools/testing/selftests/kvm/lib/x86_64/processor.c
@@ -639,7 +639,7 @@ void vm_xsave_req_perm(int bit)
 	};
 
 	kvm_fd = open_kvm_dev_path_or_exit();
-	rc = ioctl(kvm_fd, KVM_GET_DEVICE_ATTR, &attr);
+	rc = __kvm_ioctl(kvm_fd, KVM_GET_DEVICE_ATTR, &attr);
 	close(kvm_fd);
 	if (rc == -1 && (errno == ENXIO || errno == EINVAL))
 		exit(KSFT_SKIP);
@@ -739,7 +739,6 @@ static struct kvm_cpuid2 *allocate_kvm_cpuid2(void)
 struct kvm_cpuid2 *kvm_get_supported_cpuid(void)
 {
 	static struct kvm_cpuid2 *cpuid;
-	int ret;
 	int kvm_fd;
 
 	if (cpuid)
@@ -748,9 +747,7 @@ struct kvm_cpuid2 *kvm_get_supported_cpuid(void)
 	cpuid = allocate_kvm_cpuid2();
 	kvm_fd = open_kvm_dev_path_or_exit();
 
-	ret = ioctl(kvm_fd, KVM_GET_SUPPORTED_CPUID, cpuid);
-	TEST_ASSERT(ret == 0, "KVM_GET_SUPPORTED_CPUID failed %d %d\n",
-		    ret, errno);
+	kvm_ioctl(kvm_fd, KVM_GET_SUPPORTED_CPUID, cpuid);
 
 	close(kvm_fd);
 	return cpuid;
@@ -780,9 +777,8 @@ uint64_t kvm_get_feature_msr(uint64_t msr_index)
 	buffer.entry.index = msr_index;
 	kvm_fd = open_kvm_dev_path_or_exit();
 
-	r = ioctl(kvm_fd, KVM_GET_MSRS, &buffer.header);
-	TEST_ASSERT(r == 1, "KVM_GET_MSRS IOCTL failed,\n"
-		"  rc: %i errno: %i", r, errno);
+	r = __kvm_ioctl(kvm_fd, KVM_GET_MSRS, &buffer.header);
+	TEST_ASSERT(r == 1, KVM_IOCTL_ERROR(KVM_GET_MSRS, r));
 
 	close(kvm_fd);
 	return buffer.entry.data;
@@ -947,9 +943,9 @@ static int kvm_get_num_msrs_fd(int kvm_fd)
 	int r;
 
 	nmsrs.nmsrs = 0;
-	r = ioctl(kvm_fd, KVM_GET_MSR_INDEX_LIST, &nmsrs);
-	TEST_ASSERT(r == -1 && errno == E2BIG, "Unexpected result from KVM_GET_MSR_INDEX_LIST probe, r: %i",
-		r);
+	r = __kvm_ioctl(kvm_fd, KVM_GET_MSR_INDEX_LIST, &nmsrs);
+	TEST_ASSERT(r == -1 && errno == E2BIG,
+		    "Unexpected result from KVM_GET_MSR_INDEX_LIST probe, r: %i", r);
 
 	return nmsrs.nmsrs;
 }
@@ -962,19 +958,16 @@ static int kvm_get_num_msrs(struct kvm_vm *vm)
 struct kvm_msr_list *kvm_get_msr_index_list(void)
 {
 	struct kvm_msr_list *list;
-	int nmsrs, r, kvm_fd;
+	int nmsrs, kvm_fd;
 
 	kvm_fd = open_kvm_dev_path_or_exit();
 
 	nmsrs = kvm_get_num_msrs_fd(kvm_fd);
 	list = malloc(sizeof(*list) + nmsrs * sizeof(list->indices[0]));
 	list->nmsrs = nmsrs;
-	r = ioctl(kvm_fd, KVM_GET_MSR_INDEX_LIST, list);
+	kvm_ioctl(kvm_fd, KVM_GET_MSR_INDEX_LIST, list);
 	close(kvm_fd);
 
-	TEST_ASSERT(r == 0, "Unexpected result from KVM_GET_MSR_INDEX_LIST, r: %i",
-		r);
-
 	return list;
 }
 
@@ -1020,9 +1013,7 @@ struct kvm_x86_state *vcpu_save_state(struct kvm_vm *vm, uint32_t vcpuid)
 	nmsrs = kvm_get_num_msrs(vm);
 	list = malloc(sizeof(*list) + nmsrs * sizeof(list->indices[0]));
 	list->nmsrs = nmsrs;
-	r = ioctl(vm->kvm_fd, KVM_GET_MSR_INDEX_LIST, list);
-	TEST_ASSERT(r == 0, "Unexpected result from KVM_GET_MSR_INDEX_LIST, r: %i",
-		    r);
+	kvm_ioctl(vm->kvm_fd, KVM_GET_MSR_INDEX_LIST, list);
 
 	state = malloc(sizeof(*state) + nmsrs * sizeof(state->msrs.entries[0]));
 	r = ioctl(vcpu->fd, KVM_GET_VCPU_EVENTS, &state->events);
@@ -1330,7 +1321,6 @@ uint64_t kvm_hypercall(uint64_t nr, uint64_t a0, uint64_t a1, uint64_t a2,
 struct kvm_cpuid2 *kvm_get_supported_hv_cpuid(void)
 {
 	static struct kvm_cpuid2 *cpuid;
-	int ret;
 	int kvm_fd;
 
 	if (cpuid)
@@ -1339,9 +1329,7 @@ struct kvm_cpuid2 *kvm_get_supported_hv_cpuid(void)
 	cpuid = allocate_kvm_cpuid2();
 	kvm_fd = open_kvm_dev_path_or_exit();
 
-	ret = ioctl(kvm_fd, KVM_GET_SUPPORTED_HV_CPUID, cpuid);
-	TEST_ASSERT(ret == 0, "KVM_GET_SUPPORTED_HV_CPUID failed %d %d\n",
-		    ret, errno);
+	kvm_ioctl(kvm_fd, KVM_GET_SUPPORTED_HV_CPUID, cpuid);
 
 	close(kvm_fd);
 	return cpuid;
diff --git a/tools/testing/selftests/kvm/x86_64/get_msr_index_features.c b/tools/testing/selftests/kvm/x86_64/get_msr_index_features.c
index 8aed0db1331d..4ef60adbe108 100644
--- a/tools/testing/selftests/kvm/x86_64/get_msr_index_features.c
+++ b/tools/testing/selftests/kvm/x86_64/get_msr_index_features.c
@@ -34,7 +34,7 @@ static int kvm_num_index_msrs(int kvm_fd, int nmsrs)
 
 static void test_get_msr_index(void)
 {
-	int old_res, res, kvm_fd, r;
+	int old_res, res, kvm_fd;
 	struct kvm_msr_list *list;
 
 	kvm_fd = open_kvm_dev_path_or_exit();
@@ -50,11 +50,8 @@ static void test_get_msr_index(void)
 
 	list = malloc(sizeof(*list) + old_res * sizeof(list->indices[0]));
 	list->nmsrs = old_res;
-	r = ioctl(kvm_fd, KVM_GET_MSR_INDEX_LIST, list);
+	kvm_ioctl(kvm_fd, KVM_GET_MSR_INDEX_LIST, list);
 
-	TEST_ASSERT(r == 0,
-		    "Unexpected result from KVM_GET_MSR_FEATURE_INDEX_LIST, r: %i",
-		    r);
 	TEST_ASSERT(list->nmsrs == old_res, "Expecting nmsrs to be identical");
 	free(list);
 
@@ -68,7 +65,7 @@ static int kvm_num_feature_msrs(int kvm_fd, int nmsrs)
 
 	list = malloc(sizeof(*list) + nmsrs * sizeof(list->indices[0]));
 	list->nmsrs = nmsrs;
-	r = ioctl(kvm_fd, KVM_GET_MSR_FEATURE_INDEX_LIST, list);
+	r = __kvm_ioctl(kvm_fd, KVM_GET_MSR_FEATURE_INDEX_LIST, list);
 	TEST_ASSERT(r == -1 && errno == E2BIG,
 		"Unexpected result from KVM_GET_MSR_FEATURE_INDEX_LIST probe, r: %i",
 				r);
@@ -81,15 +78,10 @@ static int kvm_num_feature_msrs(int kvm_fd, int nmsrs)
 struct kvm_msr_list *kvm_get_msr_feature_list(int kvm_fd, int nmsrs)
 {
 	struct kvm_msr_list *list;
-	int r;
 
 	list = malloc(sizeof(*list) + nmsrs * sizeof(list->indices[0]));
 	list->nmsrs = nmsrs;
-	r = ioctl(kvm_fd, KVM_GET_MSR_FEATURE_INDEX_LIST, list);
-
-	TEST_ASSERT(r == 0,
-		"Unexpected result from KVM_GET_MSR_FEATURE_INDEX_LIST, r: %i",
-		r);
+	kvm_ioctl(kvm_fd, KVM_GET_MSR_FEATURE_INDEX_LIST, list);
 
 	return list;
 }
diff --git a/tools/testing/selftests/kvm/x86_64/mmio_warning_test.c b/tools/testing/selftests/kvm/x86_64/mmio_warning_test.c
index 9f55ccd169a1..31ae837fedb1 100644
--- a/tools/testing/selftests/kvm/x86_64/mmio_warning_test.c
+++ b/tools/testing/selftests/kvm/x86_64/mmio_warning_test.c
@@ -59,10 +59,10 @@ void test(void)
 
 	kvm = open("/dev/kvm", O_RDWR);
 	TEST_ASSERT(kvm != -1, "failed to open /dev/kvm");
-	kvmvm = ioctl(kvm, KVM_CREATE_VM, 0);
-	TEST_ASSERT(kvmvm != -1, "KVM_CREATE_VM failed");
+	kvmvm = __kvm_ioctl(kvm, KVM_CREATE_VM, 0);
+	TEST_ASSERT(kvmvm > 0, KVM_IOCTL_ERROR(KVM_CREATE_VM, kvmvm));
 	kvmcpu = ioctl(kvmvm, KVM_CREATE_VCPU, 0);
-	TEST_ASSERT(kvmcpu != -1, "KVM_CREATE_VCPU failed");
+	TEST_ASSERT(kvmcpu != -1, KVM_IOCTL_ERROR(KVM_CREATE_VCPU, kvmcpu));
 	run = (struct kvm_run *)mmap(0, 4096, PROT_READ|PROT_WRITE, MAP_SHARED,
 				    kvmcpu, 0);
 	tc.kvmcpu = kvmcpu;
