diff --git a/backend/genesys_gl124.cc b/backend/genesys_gl124.cc
index 0af8d58a8..663d26503 100644
--- a/backend/genesys_gl124.cc
+++ b/backend/genesys_gl124.cc
@@ -3033,11 +3033,9 @@ static void gl124_init_gpio(Genesys_Device* dev)
 /**
  * set memory layout by filling values in dedicated registers
  */
-static SANE_Status
-gl124_init_memory_layout (Genesys_Device * dev)
+static void gl124_init_memory_layout(Genesys_Device* dev)
 {
     DBG_HELPER(dbg);
-  SANE_Status status = SANE_STATUS_GOOD;
   int idx = 0;
 
   /* point to per model memory layout */
@@ -3095,8 +3093,6 @@ gl124_init_memory_layout (Genesys_Device * dev)
   sanei_genesys_write_register (dev, 0xf5, layouts[idx].re5);
   sanei_genesys_write_register (dev, 0xf6, layouts[idx].re6);
   sanei_genesys_write_register (dev, 0xf7, layouts[idx].re7);
-
-  return status;
 }
 
 /**
@@ -3120,11 +3116,9 @@ gl124_init(Genesys_Device * dev)
 /* *
  * initialize ASIC from power on condition
  */
-static SANE_Status
-gl124_boot (Genesys_Device * dev, SANE_Bool cold)
+static void gl124_boot(Genesys_Device* dev, SANE_Bool cold)
 {
     DBG_HELPER(dbg);
-  SANE_Status status = SANE_STATUS_GOOD;
   uint8_t val;
 
     // reset ASIC in case of cold boot
@@ -3170,10 +3164,8 @@ gl124_boot (Genesys_Device * dev, SANE_Bool cold)
     // setup gpio
     gl124_init_gpio(dev);
 
-  /* setup internal memory layout */
-  RIE (gl124_init_memory_layout (dev));
-
-  return SANE_STATUS_GOOD;
+    // setup internal memory layout
+    gl124_init_memory_layout(dev);
 }
 
 
diff --git a/backend/genesys_gl843.cc b/backend/genesys_gl843.cc
index 97a50967d..30c76be30 100644
--- a/backend/genesys_gl843.cc
+++ b/backend/genesys_gl843.cc
@@ -3625,8 +3625,7 @@ static void gl843_init_gpio(Genesys_Device* dev)
 /* *
  * initialize ASIC from power on condition
  */
-static SANE_Status
-gl843_boot (Genesys_Device * dev, SANE_Bool cold)
+static void gl843_boot(Genesys_Device* dev, SANE_Bool cold)
 {
     DBG_HELPER(dbg);
   uint8_t val;
@@ -3714,8 +3713,6 @@ gl843_boot (Genesys_Device * dev, SANE_Bool cold)
 
   gl843_feed (dev, 300);
   sanei_genesys_sleep_ms(100);
-
-  return SANE_STATUS_GOOD;
 }
 
 /* *
diff --git a/backend/genesys_gl846.cc b/backend/genesys_gl846.cc
index 3cd449f09..b5b790015 100644
--- a/backend/genesys_gl846.cc
+++ b/backend/genesys_gl846.cc
@@ -2299,11 +2299,9 @@ static void gl846_init_gpio(Genesys_Device* dev)
 /**
  * set memory layout by filling values in dedicated registers
  */
-static SANE_Status
-gl846_init_memory_layout (Genesys_Device * dev)
+static void gl846_init_memory_layout(Genesys_Device* dev)
 {
     DBG_HELPER(dbg);
-  SANE_Status status = SANE_STATUS_GOOD;
   int idx = 0, i;
   uint8_t val;
 
@@ -2316,8 +2314,7 @@ gl846_init_memory_layout (Genesys_Device * dev)
     }
   if(layouts[idx].model==NULL)
     {
-      DBG(DBG_error, "%s: failed to find memory layout for model %s!\n", __func__, dev->model->name);
-      return SANE_STATUS_INVAL;
+        throw SaneException("failed to find memory layout for model %s", dev->model->name);
     }
 
   /* CLKSET and DRAMSEL */
@@ -2333,18 +2330,14 @@ gl846_init_memory_layout (Genesys_Device * dev)
     {
       sanei_genesys_write_register(dev, 0xe0+i, layouts[idx].rx[i]);
     }
-
-  return status;
 }
 
 /* *
  * initialize ASIC from power on condition
  */
-static SANE_Status
-gl846_boot (Genesys_Device * dev, SANE_Bool cold)
+static void gl846_boot(Genesys_Device* dev, SANE_Bool cold)
 {
     DBG_HELPER(dbg);
-  SANE_Status status = SANE_STATUS_GOOD;
   uint8_t val;
 
     // reset ASIC if cold boot
@@ -2396,13 +2389,11 @@ gl846_boot (Genesys_Device * dev, SANE_Bool cold)
     // setup gpio
     gl846_init_gpio(dev);
 
-  /* setup internal memory layout */
-  RIE (gl846_init_memory_layout (dev));
+    // setup internal memory layout
+    gl846_init_memory_layout(dev);
 
   SETREG (0xf8, 0x05);
     sanei_genesys_write_register(dev, 0xf8, dev->reg.find_reg(0xf8).value);
-
-  return SANE_STATUS_GOOD;
 }
 
 /**
diff --git a/backend/genesys_gl846.h b/backend/genesys_gl846.h
index 6e7880b61..ff5022426 100644
--- a/backend/genesys_gl846.h
+++ b/backend/genesys_gl846.h
@@ -367,8 +367,7 @@ gl846_stop_action (Genesys_Device * dev);
 static SANE_Status
 gl846_slow_back_home (Genesys_Device * dev, SANE_Bool wait_until_home);
 
-static SANE_Status
-gl846_boot (Genesys_Device * dev, SANE_Bool cold);
+static void gl846_boot(Genesys_Device* dev, SANE_Bool cold);
 
 
 
diff --git a/backend/genesys_gl847.cc b/backend/genesys_gl847.cc
index 115b72843..096a53718 100644
--- a/backend/genesys_gl847.cc
+++ b/backend/genesys_gl847.cc
@@ -2444,8 +2444,7 @@ gl847_init_memory_layout (Genesys_Device * dev)
 /* *
  * initialize ASIC from power on condition
  */
-static SANE_Status
-gl847_boot (Genesys_Device * dev, SANE_Bool cold)
+static void gl847_boot(Genesys_Device* dev, SANE_Bool cold)
 {
     DBG_HELPER(dbg);
   uint8_t val;
@@ -2491,8 +2490,6 @@ gl847_boot (Genesys_Device * dev, SANE_Bool cold)
 
   SETREG (0xf8, 0x01);
     sanei_genesys_write_register(dev, 0xf8, dev->reg.find_reg(0xf8).value);
-
-  return SANE_STATUS_GOOD;
 }
 
 /**
diff --git a/backend/genesys_low.cc b/backend/genesys_low.cc
index 3d33660a5..2406589d8 100644
--- a/backend/genesys_low.cc
+++ b/backend/genesys_low.cc
@@ -1254,8 +1254,8 @@ sanei_genesys_asic_init(Genesys_Device* dev, int /*max_regs*/)
       return SANE_STATUS_GOOD;
     }
 
-  /* set up hardware and registers */
-  RIE (dev->model->cmd_set->asic_boot (dev, cold));
+    // set up hardware and registers
+    dev->model->cmd_set->asic_boot(dev, cold);
 
   /* now hardware part is OK, set up device struct */
   dev->white_average_data.clear();
diff --git a/backend/genesys_low.h b/backend/genesys_low.h
index 80be08ef3..03110c0bc 100644
--- a/backend/genesys_low.h
+++ b/backend/genesys_low.h
@@ -1145,7 +1145,7 @@ struct Genesys_Command_Set
     /**
      * cold boot init function
      */
-    SANE_Status (*asic_boot) (Genesys_Device * dev, SANE_Bool cold);
+    void (*asic_boot) (Genesys_Device* dev, SANE_Bool cold);
 
 };