diff --git a/hmp.c b/hmp.c
index 7828f93a39..0f5d943413 100644
--- a/hmp.c
+++ b/hmp.c
@@ -1220,7 +1220,10 @@ void hmp_cont(Monitor *mon, const QDict *qdict)
 
 void hmp_system_wakeup(Monitor *mon, const QDict *qdict)
 {
-    qmp_system_wakeup(NULL);
+    Error *err = NULL;
+
+    qmp_system_wakeup(&err);
+    hmp_handle_error(mon, &err);
 }
 
 void hmp_nmi(Monitor *mon, const QDict *qdict)
diff --git a/hw/acpi/core.c b/hw/acpi/core.c
index 52e18d7810..d6f0709691 100644
--- a/hw/acpi/core.c
+++ b/hw/acpi/core.c
@@ -514,7 +514,8 @@ static uint32_t acpi_pm_tmr_get(ACPIREGS *ar)
 static void acpi_pm_tmr_timer(void *opaque)
 {
     ACPIREGS *ar = opaque;
-    qemu_system_wakeup_request(QEMU_WAKEUP_REASON_PMTIMER);
+
+    qemu_system_wakeup_request(QEMU_WAKEUP_REASON_PMTIMER, NULL);
     ar->tmr.update_sci(ar);
 }
 
diff --git a/hw/char/serial.c b/hw/char/serial.c
index 02463e3388..7c42a2abfc 100644
--- a/hw/char/serial.c
+++ b/hw/char/serial.c
@@ -611,7 +611,7 @@ static void serial_receive1(void *opaque, const uint8_t *buf, int size)
     SerialState *s = opaque;
 
     if (s->wakeup) {
-        qemu_system_wakeup_request(QEMU_WAKEUP_REASON_OTHER);
+        qemu_system_wakeup_request(QEMU_WAKEUP_REASON_OTHER, NULL);
     }
     if(s->fcr & UART_FCR_FE) {
         int i;
diff --git a/hw/input/ps2.c b/hw/input/ps2.c
index eb33ee9b6f..d3161f1e7c 100644
--- a/hw/input/ps2.c
+++ b/hw/input/ps2.c
@@ -255,7 +255,7 @@ static void ps2_put_keycode(void *opaque, int keycode)
     PS2KbdState *s = opaque;
 
     trace_ps2_put_keycode(opaque, keycode);
-    qemu_system_wakeup_request(QEMU_WAKEUP_REASON_OTHER);
+    qemu_system_wakeup_request(QEMU_WAKEUP_REASON_OTHER, NULL);
 
     if (s->translate) {
         if (keycode == 0xf0) {
@@ -285,7 +285,7 @@ static void ps2_keyboard_event(DeviceState *dev, QemuConsole *src,
         return;
     }
 
-    qemu_system_wakeup_request(QEMU_WAKEUP_REASON_OTHER);
+    qemu_system_wakeup_request(QEMU_WAKEUP_REASON_OTHER, NULL);
     assert(evt->type == INPUT_EVENT_KIND_KEY);
     qcode = qemu_input_key_value_to_qcode(key->key);
 
@@ -748,7 +748,7 @@ static void ps2_mouse_sync(DeviceState *dev)
     }
 
     if (s->mouse_buttons) {
-        qemu_system_wakeup_request(QEMU_WAKEUP_REASON_OTHER);
+        qemu_system_wakeup_request(QEMU_WAKEUP_REASON_OTHER, NULL);
     }
     if (!(s->mouse_status & MOUSE_STATUS_REMOTE)) {
         /* if not remote, send event. Multiple events are sent if
diff --git a/hw/timer/mc146818rtc.c b/hw/timer/mc146818rtc.c
index e4e4de8b8a..69483152c3 100644
--- a/hw/timer/mc146818rtc.c
+++ b/hw/timer/mc146818rtc.c
@@ -455,7 +455,7 @@ static void rtc_update_timer(void *opaque)
     if (qemu_clock_get_ns(rtc_clock) >= s->next_alarm_time) {
         irqs |= REG_C_AF;
         if (s->cmos_data[RTC_REG_B] & REG_B_AIE) {
-            qemu_system_wakeup_request(QEMU_WAKEUP_REASON_RTC);
+            qemu_system_wakeup_request(QEMU_WAKEUP_REASON_RTC, NULL);
         }
     }
 
diff --git a/include/sysemu/sysemu.h b/include/sysemu/sysemu.h
index 0446adacc6..162c4b16d9 100644
--- a/include/sysemu/sysemu.h
+++ b/include/sysemu/sysemu.h
@@ -74,7 +74,8 @@ void qemu_exit_preconfig_request(void);
 void qemu_system_reset_request(ShutdownCause reason);
 void qemu_system_suspend_request(void);
 void qemu_register_suspend_notifier(Notifier *notifier);
-void qemu_system_wakeup_request(WakeupReason reason);
+bool qemu_wakeup_suspend_enabled(void);
+void qemu_system_wakeup_request(WakeupReason reason, Error **errp);
 void qemu_system_wakeup_enable(WakeupReason reason, bool enabled);
 void qemu_register_wakeup_notifier(Notifier *notifier);
 void qemu_register_wakeup_support(void);
diff --git a/migration/migration.c b/migration/migration.c
index 49ffb9997a..ffc4d9e556 100644
--- a/migration/migration.c
+++ b/migration/migration.c
@@ -2408,7 +2408,7 @@ static int postcopy_start(MigrationState *ms)
     qemu_mutex_lock_iothread();
     trace_postcopy_start_set_run();
 
-    qemu_system_wakeup_request(QEMU_WAKEUP_REASON_OTHER);
+    qemu_system_wakeup_request(QEMU_WAKEUP_REASON_OTHER, NULL);
     global_state_store();
     ret = vm_stop_force_state(RUN_STATE_FINISH_MIGRATE);
     if (ret < 0) {
@@ -2612,7 +2612,7 @@ static void migration_completion(MigrationState *s)
     if (s->state == MIGRATION_STATUS_ACTIVE) {
         qemu_mutex_lock_iothread();
         s->downtime_start = qemu_clock_get_ms(QEMU_CLOCK_REALTIME);
-        qemu_system_wakeup_request(QEMU_WAKEUP_REASON_OTHER);
+        qemu_system_wakeup_request(QEMU_WAKEUP_REASON_OTHER, NULL);
         s->vm_was_running = runstate_is_running();
         ret = global_state_store();
 
diff --git a/qapi/misc.json b/qapi/misc.json
index deb982ed38..03df2c37cf 100644
--- a/qapi/misc.json
+++ b/qapi/misc.json
@@ -1235,12 +1235,18 @@
 ##
 # @system_wakeup:
 #
-# Wakeup guest from suspend.  Does nothing in case the guest isn't suspended.
+# Wake up guest from suspend. If the guest has wake-up from suspend
+# support enabled (wakeup-suspend-support flag from
+# query-current-machine), wake-up guest from suspend if the guest is
+# in SUSPENDED state. Return an error otherwise.
 #
 # Since:  1.1
 #
 # Returns:  nothing.
 #
+# Note: prior to 4.0, this command does nothing in case the guest
+# isn't suspended.
+#
 # Example:
 #
 # -> { "execute": "system_wakeup" }
diff --git a/qmp.c b/qmp.c
index e7c0a2fd60..f557d1617d 100644
--- a/qmp.c
+++ b/qmp.c
@@ -183,7 +183,13 @@ void qmp_cont(Error **errp)
 
 void qmp_system_wakeup(Error **errp)
 {
-    qemu_system_wakeup_request(QEMU_WAKEUP_REASON_OTHER);
+    if (!qemu_wakeup_suspend_enabled()) {
+        error_setg(errp,
+                   "wake-up from suspend is not supported by this guest");
+        return;
+    }
+
+    qemu_system_wakeup_request(QEMU_WAKEUP_REASON_OTHER, errp);
 }
 
 ObjectPropertyInfoList *qmp_qom_list(const char *path, Error **errp)
diff --git a/vl.c b/vl.c
index 8f5b3ef4e9..5b51bbc47c 100644
--- a/vl.c
+++ b/vl.c
@@ -1752,11 +1752,13 @@ void qemu_register_suspend_notifier(Notifier *notifier)
     notifier_list_add(&suspend_notifiers, notifier);
 }
 
-void qemu_system_wakeup_request(WakeupReason reason)
+void qemu_system_wakeup_request(WakeupReason reason, Error **errp)
 {
     trace_system_wakeup_request(reason);
 
     if (!runstate_check(RUN_STATE_SUSPENDED)) {
+        error_setg(errp,
+                   "Unable to wake up: guest is not in suspended state");
         return;
     }
     if (!(wakeup_reason_mask & (1 << reason))) {
@@ -1786,7 +1788,7 @@ void qemu_register_wakeup_support(void)
     wakeup_suspend_enabled = true;
 }
 
-static bool qemu_wakeup_suspend_enabled(void)
+bool qemu_wakeup_suspend_enabled(void)
 {
     return wakeup_suspend_enabled;
 }
