diff --git a/src/emu/diimage.cpp b/src/emu/diimage.cpp
index cb2a7f6a02d..4994ff5946c 100644
--- a/src/emu/diimage.cpp
+++ b/src/emu/diimage.cpp
@@ -1017,7 +1017,7 @@ bool device_image_interface::load_internal(const std::string &path, bool is_crea
 	m_create_args = create_args;
 
 	if (m_init_phase==false) {
-		m_err = (image_error_t)finish_load();
+		m_err = (finish_load()==IMAGE_INIT_PASS) ? IMAGE_ERROR_SUCCESS : IMAGE_ERROR_INTERNAL;
 		if (m_err)
 			goto done;
 	}
@@ -1103,7 +1103,7 @@ bool device_image_interface::finish_load()
 		if (m_created)
 		{
 			err = call_create(m_create_format, m_create_args);
-			if (err)
+			if (err == IMAGE_INIT_FAIL)
 			{
 				if (!m_err)
 					m_err = IMAGE_ERROR_UNSPECIFIED;
@@ -1113,7 +1113,7 @@ bool device_image_interface::finish_load()
 		{
 			// using device load
 			err = call_load();
-			if (err)
+			if (err == IMAGE_INIT_FAIL)
 			{
 				if (!m_err)
 					m_err = IMAGE_ERROR_UNSPECIFIED;
diff --git a/src/emu/diimage.h b/src/emu/diimage.h
index e29a808e537..451f8cb5354 100644
--- a/src/emu/diimage.h
+++ b/src/emu/diimage.h
@@ -147,8 +147,8 @@ public:
 
 	virtual void device_compute_hash(util::hash_collection &hashes, const void *data, size_t length, const char *types) const;
 
-	virtual bool call_load() { return false; }
-	virtual bool call_create(int format_type, util::option_resolution *format_options) { return false; }
+	virtual bool call_load() { return IMAGE_INIT_PASS; }
+	virtual bool call_create(int format_type, util::option_resolution *format_options) { return IMAGE_INIT_PASS; }
 	virtual void call_unload() { }
 	virtual std::string call_display() { return std::string(); }
 	virtual device_image_partialhash_func get_partial_hash() const { return nullptr; }
diff --git a/src/mame/machine/z80bin.cpp b/src/mame/machine/z80bin.cpp
index d058ea613db..7a5bb3d24c3 100644
--- a/src/mame/machine/z80bin.cpp
+++ b/src/mame/machine/z80bin.cpp
@@ -8,7 +8,7 @@
     memory
 -------------------------------------------------*/
 
-int z80bin_load_file(device_image_interface *image, address_space &space, const char *file_type, UINT16 *exec_addr, UINT16 *start_addr, UINT16 *end_addr )
+bool z80bin_load_file(device_image_interface *image, address_space &space, const char *file_type, UINT16 *exec_addr, UINT16 *start_addr, UINT16 *end_addr )
 {
 	int ch;
 	UINT16 args[3];
diff --git a/src/mame/machine/z80bin.h b/src/mame/machine/z80bin.h
index 1690ebffcda..7a839466506 100644
--- a/src/mame/machine/z80bin.h
+++ b/src/mame/machine/z80bin.h
@@ -13,6 +13,6 @@
 #ifndef __Z80_BIN__
 #define __Z80_BIN__
 
-int z80bin_load_file(device_image_interface *image, address_space &space, const char *file_type, UINT16 *exec_addr, UINT16 *start_addr, UINT16 *end_addr );
+bool z80bin_load_file(device_image_interface *image, address_space &space, const char *file_type, UINT16 *exec_addr, UINT16 *start_addr, UINT16 *end_addr );
 
 #endif