diff --git a/target/s390x/mmu_helper.c b/target/s390x/mmu_helper.c
index 487c41bf93..22d3d4a97d 100644
--- a/target/s390x/mmu_helper.c
+++ b/target/s390x/mmu_helper.c
@@ -541,9 +541,7 @@ int s390_cpu_virt_mem_rw(S390CPU *cpu, vaddr laddr, uint8_t ar, void *hostbuf,
     pages = g_malloc(nr_pages * sizeof(*pages));
 
     ret = translate_pages(cpu, laddr, nr_pages, pages, is_write, &tec);
-    if (ret) {
-        trigger_access_exception(&cpu->env, ret, tec);
-    } else if (hostbuf != NULL) {
+    if (ret == 0 && hostbuf != NULL) {
         AddressSpace *as = CPU(cpu)->as;
 
         /* Copy data by stepping through the area page by page */
@@ -556,6 +554,9 @@ int s390_cpu_virt_mem_rw(S390CPU *cpu, vaddr laddr, uint8_t ar, void *hostbuf,
             len -= currlen;
         }
     }
+    if (ret) {
+        trigger_access_exception(&cpu->env, ret, tec);
+    }
 
     g_free(pages);
     return ret;