diff --git a/video/vaapi.c b/video/vaapi.c
index 055316bb38..6bedbbaa18 100644
--- a/video/vaapi.c
+++ b/video/vaapi.c
@@ -30,15 +30,6 @@
 #include <libavutil/hwcontext.h>
 #include <libavutil/hwcontext_vaapi.h>
 
-bool check_va_status(struct mp_log *log, VAStatus status, const char *msg)
-{
-    if (status != VA_STATUS_SUCCESS) {
-        mp_err(log, "%s: %s\n", msg, vaErrorStr(status));
-        return false;
-    }
-    return true;
-}
-
 int va_get_colorspace_flag(enum mp_csp csp)
 {
     switch (csp) {
diff --git a/video/vaapi.h b/video/vaapi.h
index 2e438bebfb..41c9f7c1cb 100644
--- a/video/vaapi.h
+++ b/video/vaapi.h
@@ -36,9 +36,9 @@ struct mp_vaapi_ctx {
     void (*destroy_native_ctx)(void *native_ctx);
 };
 
-bool check_va_status(struct mp_log *log, VAStatus status, const char *msg);
-
-#define CHECK_VA_STATUS(ctx, msg) check_va_status((ctx)->log, status, msg)
+#define CHECK_VA_STATUS(ctx, msg) \
+    (status == VA_STATUS_SUCCESS ? true \
+        : (MP_ERR(ctx, "%s failed (%s)\n", msg, vaErrorStr(status)), false))
 
 int                      va_get_colorspace_flag(enum mp_csp csp);