diff --git a/src/hotspot/os/bsd/gc/z/zPhysicalMemoryBacking_bsd.cpp b/src/hotspot/os/bsd/gc/z/zPhysicalMemoryBacking_bsd.cpp
index 29825a9eab2..2e56c092a79 100644
--- a/src/hotspot/os/bsd/gc/z/zPhysicalMemoryBacking_bsd.cpp
+++ b/src/hotspot/os/bsd/gc/z/zPhysicalMemoryBacking_bsd.cpp
@@ -22,10 +22,10 @@
  */
 
 #include "precompiled.hpp"
-#include "gc/shared/gcLogPrecious.hpp"
 #include "gc/z/zAddress.inline.hpp"
 #include "gc/z/zErrno.hpp"
 #include "gc/z/zGlobals.hpp"
+#include "gc/z/zInitialize.hpp"
 #include "gc/z/zLargePages.inline.hpp"
 #include "gc/z/zPhysicalMemory.inline.hpp"
 #include "gc/z/zPhysicalMemoryBacking_bsd.hpp"
@@ -82,7 +82,7 @@ ZPhysicalMemoryBacking::ZPhysicalMemoryBacking(size_t max_capacity)
   _base = (uintptr_t)os::reserve_memory(max_capacity);
   if (_base == 0) {
     // Failed
-    log_error_pd(gc)("Failed to reserve address space for backing memory");
+    ZInitialize::error("Failed to reserve address space for backing memory");
     return;
   }
 
diff --git a/src/hotspot/os/linux/gc/z/zPhysicalMemoryBacking_linux.cpp b/src/hotspot/os/linux/gc/z/zPhysicalMemoryBacking_linux.cpp
index f967fee9305..b648876ac60 100644
--- a/src/hotspot/os/linux/gc/z/zPhysicalMemoryBacking_linux.cpp
+++ b/src/hotspot/os/linux/gc/z/zPhysicalMemoryBacking_linux.cpp
@@ -27,6 +27,7 @@
 #include "gc/z/zArray.inline.hpp"
 #include "gc/z/zErrno.hpp"
 #include "gc/z/zGlobals.hpp"
+#include "gc/z/zInitialize.hpp"
 #include "gc/z/zLargePages.inline.hpp"
 #include "gc/z/zMountPoint_linux.hpp"
 #include "gc/z/zNUMA.inline.hpp"
@@ -129,6 +130,7 @@ ZPhysicalMemoryBacking::ZPhysicalMemoryBacking(size_t max_capacity)
   // Create backing file
   _fd = create_fd(ZFILENAME_HEAP);
   if (_fd == -1) {
+    ZInitialize::error("Failed to create heap backing file");
     return;
   }
 
@@ -136,7 +138,7 @@ ZPhysicalMemoryBacking::ZPhysicalMemoryBacking(size_t max_capacity)
   while (ftruncate(_fd, max_capacity) == -1) {
     if (errno != EINTR) {
       ZErrno err;
-      log_error_p(gc)("Failed to truncate backing file (%s)", err.to_string());
+      ZInitialize::error("Failed to truncate backing file (%s)", err.to_string());
       return;
     }
   }
@@ -145,7 +147,7 @@ ZPhysicalMemoryBacking::ZPhysicalMemoryBacking(size_t max_capacity)
   struct statfs buf;
   if (fstatfs(_fd, &buf) == -1) {
     ZErrno err;
-    log_error_p(gc)("Failed to determine filesystem type for backing file (%s)", err.to_string());
+    ZInitialize::error("Failed to determine filesystem type for backing file (%s)", err.to_string());
     return;
   }
 
@@ -158,39 +160,39 @@ ZPhysicalMemoryBacking::ZPhysicalMemoryBacking(size_t max_capacity)
 
   // Make sure the filesystem type matches requested large page type
   if (ZLargePages::is_transparent() && !is_tmpfs()) {
-    log_error_p(gc)("-XX:+UseTransparentHugePages can only be enabled when using a %s filesystem",
-                    ZFILESYSTEM_TMPFS);
+    ZInitialize::error("-XX:+UseTransparentHugePages can only be enabled when using a %s filesystem",
+                       ZFILESYSTEM_TMPFS);
     return;
   }
 
   if (ZLargePages::is_transparent() && !tmpfs_supports_transparent_huge_pages()) {
-    log_error_p(gc)("-XX:+UseTransparentHugePages on a %s filesystem not supported by kernel",
-                    ZFILESYSTEM_TMPFS);
+    ZInitialize::error("-XX:+UseTransparentHugePages on a %s filesystem not supported by kernel",
+                       ZFILESYSTEM_TMPFS);
     return;
   }
 
   if (ZLargePages::is_explicit() && !is_hugetlbfs()) {
-    log_error_p(gc)("-XX:+UseLargePages (without -XX:+UseTransparentHugePages) can only be enabled "
-                    "when using a %s filesystem", ZFILESYSTEM_HUGETLBFS);
+    ZInitialize::error("-XX:+UseLargePages (without -XX:+UseTransparentHugePages) can only be enabled "
+                       "when using a %s filesystem", ZFILESYSTEM_HUGETLBFS);
     return;
   }
 
   if (!ZLargePages::is_explicit() && is_hugetlbfs()) {
-    log_error_p(gc)("-XX:+UseLargePages must be enabled when using a %s filesystem",
-                    ZFILESYSTEM_HUGETLBFS);
+    ZInitialize::error("-XX:+UseLargePages must be enabled when using a %s filesystem",
+                       ZFILESYSTEM_HUGETLBFS);
     return;
   }
 
   // Make sure the filesystem block size is compatible
   if (ZGranuleSize % _block_size != 0) {
-    log_error_p(gc)("Filesystem backing the heap has incompatible block size (" SIZE_FORMAT ")",
-                    _block_size);
+    ZInitialize::error("Filesystem backing the heap has incompatible block size (" SIZE_FORMAT ")",
+                       _block_size);
     return;
   }
 
   if (is_hugetlbfs() && _block_size != ZGranuleSize) {
-    log_error_p(gc)("%s filesystem has unexpected block size " SIZE_FORMAT " (expected " SIZE_FORMAT ")",
-                    ZFILESYSTEM_HUGETLBFS, _block_size, ZGranuleSize);
+    ZInitialize::error("%s filesystem has unexpected block size " SIZE_FORMAT " (expected " SIZE_FORMAT ")",
+                       ZFILESYSTEM_HUGETLBFS, _block_size, ZGranuleSize);
     return;
   }
 
diff --git a/src/hotspot/share/gc/z/zCollectedHeap.cpp b/src/hotspot/share/gc/z/zCollectedHeap.cpp
index ccfa7af6b7d..8afefd5a7cc 100644
--- a/src/hotspot/share/gc/z/zCollectedHeap.cpp
+++ b/src/hotspot/share/gc/z/zCollectedHeap.cpp
@@ -49,6 +49,7 @@
 #include "memory/universe.hpp"
 #include "oops/stackChunkOop.hpp"
 #include "runtime/continuationJavaClasses.hpp"
+#include "runtime/java.hpp"
 #include "runtime/jniHandles.inline.hpp"
 #include "runtime/stackWatermarkSet.hpp"
 #include "services/memoryUsage.hpp"
@@ -60,7 +61,7 @@ ZCollectedHeap* ZCollectedHeap::heap() {
 
 ZCollectedHeap::ZCollectedHeap()
   : _barrier_set(),
-    _initialize(&_barrier_set),
+    _initializer(&_barrier_set),
     _heap(),
     _driver_minor(new ZDriverMinor()),
     _driver_major(new ZDriverMajor()),
@@ -78,11 +79,14 @@ const char* ZCollectedHeap::name() const {
 
 jint ZCollectedHeap::initialize() {
   if (!_heap.is_initialized()) {
+    vm_shutdown_during_initialization(ZInitialize::error_message());
     return JNI_ENOMEM;
   }
 
   Universe::set_verify_data(~(ZAddressHeapBase - 1) | 0x7, ZAddressHeapBase);
 
+  ZInitialize::finish();
+
   return JNI_OK;
 }
 
diff --git a/src/hotspot/share/gc/z/zCollectedHeap.hpp b/src/hotspot/share/gc/z/zCollectedHeap.hpp
index 528bacd8df8..434204e16b8 100644
--- a/src/hotspot/share/gc/z/zCollectedHeap.hpp
+++ b/src/hotspot/share/gc/z/zCollectedHeap.hpp
@@ -43,7 +43,7 @@ class ZCollectedHeap : public CollectedHeap {
 
 private:
   ZBarrierSet       _barrier_set;
-  ZInitialize       _initialize;
+  ZInitializer      _initializer;
   ZHeap             _heap;
   ZDriverMinor*     _driver_minor;
   ZDriverMajor*     _driver_major;
diff --git a/src/hotspot/share/gc/z/zHeap.cpp b/src/hotspot/share/gc/z/zHeap.cpp
index dc5f1e3d21d..40aa76867f4 100644
--- a/src/hotspot/share/gc/z/zHeap.cpp
+++ b/src/hotspot/share/gc/z/zHeap.cpp
@@ -34,6 +34,7 @@
 #include "gc/z/zHeap.inline.hpp"
 #include "gc/z/zHeapIterator.hpp"
 #include "gc/z/zHeuristics.hpp"
+#include "gc/z/zInitialize.hpp"
 #include "gc/z/zPage.inline.hpp"
 #include "gc/z/zPageTable.inline.hpp"
 #include "gc/z/zResurrection.hpp"
@@ -74,7 +75,7 @@ ZHeap::ZHeap()
 
   // Prime cache
   if (!_page_allocator.prime_cache(_old.workers(), InitialHeapSize)) {
-    log_error_p(gc)("Failed to allocate initial Java heap (" SIZE_FORMAT "M)", InitialHeapSize / M);
+    ZInitialize::error("Failed to allocate initial Java heap (" SIZE_FORMAT "M)", InitialHeapSize / M);
     return;
   }
 
diff --git a/src/hotspot/share/gc/z/zInitialize.cpp b/src/hotspot/share/gc/z/zInitialize.cpp
index 52229bf2830..e37fc550bfe 100644
--- a/src/hotspot/share/gc/z/zInitialize.cpp
+++ b/src/hotspot/share/gc/z/zInitialize.cpp
@@ -22,6 +22,7 @@
  */
 
 #include "precompiled.hpp"
+#include "gc/shared/gcLogPrecious.hpp"
 #include "gc/z/zAddress.hpp"
 #include "gc/z/zBarrierSet.hpp"
 #include "gc/z/zCPU.hpp"
@@ -38,9 +39,19 @@
 #include "gc/z/zThreadLocalAllocBuffer.hpp"
 #include "gc/z/zTracer.hpp"
 #include "logging/log.hpp"
+#include "nmt/memTag.hpp"
 #include "runtime/vm_version.hpp"
+#include "utilities/formatBuffer.hpp"
 
-ZInitialize::ZInitialize(ZBarrierSet* barrier_set) {
+char ZInitialize::_error_message[ErrorMessageLength] = {};
+bool ZInitialize::_had_error                         = false;
+bool ZInitialize::_finished                          = false;
+
+ZInitializer::ZInitializer(ZBarrierSet* barrier_set) {
+  ZInitialize::initialize(barrier_set);
+}
+
+void ZInitialize::initialize(ZBarrierSet* barrier_set) {
   log_info(gc, init)("Initializing %s", ZName);
   log_info(gc, init)("Version: %s (%s)",
                      VM_Version::vm_release(),
@@ -62,3 +73,51 @@ ZInitialize::ZInitialize(ZBarrierSet* barrier_set) {
 
   pd_initialize();
 }
+
+void ZInitialize::register_error(bool debug, const char *error_msg) {
+  guarantee(!_finished, "Only register errors during initialization");
+
+  if (!_had_error) {
+    strncpy(_error_message, error_msg, ErrorMessageLength - 1);
+    _had_error = true;
+  }
+
+  if (debug) {
+    log_error_pd(gc)("%s", error_msg);
+  } else {
+    log_error_p(gc)("%s", error_msg);
+  }
+}
+
+void ZInitialize::error(const char* msg_format, ...) {
+  va_list argp;
+  va_start(argp, msg_format);
+  const FormatBuffer<ErrorMessageLength> error_msg(FormatBufferDummy(), msg_format, argp);
+  va_end(argp);
+  register_error(false /* debug */, error_msg);
+}
+
+void ZInitialize::error_d(const char* msg_format, ...) {
+  va_list argp;
+  va_start(argp, msg_format);
+  const FormatBuffer<ErrorMessageLength> error_msg(FormatBufferDummy(), msg_format, argp);
+  va_end(argp);
+  register_error(true /* debug */, error_msg);
+}
+
+bool ZInitialize::had_error() {
+  return _had_error;
+}
+
+const char* ZInitialize::error_message() {
+  assert(had_error(), "Should have registered an error");
+  if (had_error()) {
+    return _error_message;
+  }
+  return "Unknown error, check error GC logs";
+}
+
+void ZInitialize::finish() {
+  guarantee(!_finished, "Only finish initialization once");
+  _finished = true;
+}
diff --git a/src/hotspot/share/gc/z/zInitialize.hpp b/src/hotspot/share/gc/z/zInitialize.hpp
index 599b6566234..3c551b4c622 100644
--- a/src/hotspot/share/gc/z/zInitialize.hpp
+++ b/src/hotspot/share/gc/z/zInitialize.hpp
@@ -24,16 +24,39 @@
 #ifndef SHARE_GC_Z_ZINITIALIZE_HPP
 #define SHARE_GC_Z_ZINITIALIZE_HPP
 
-#include "memory/allocation.hpp"
+#include "memory/allStatic.hpp"
+#include "utilities/compilerWarnings.hpp"
+
+#include <cstddef>
 
 class ZBarrierSet;
 
-class ZInitialize {
+class ZInitializer {
+public:
+  ZInitializer(ZBarrierSet* barrier_set);
+};
+
+class ZInitialize : public AllStatic {
 private:
-  void pd_initialize();
+  static constexpr size_t ErrorMessageLength = 256;
+
+  static char _error_message[ErrorMessageLength];
+  static bool _had_error;
+  static bool _finished;
+
+  static void register_error(bool debug, const char *error_msg);
+
+  static void pd_initialize();
 
 public:
-  ZInitialize(ZBarrierSet* barrier_set);
+  static void error(const char* msg_format, ...) ATTRIBUTE_PRINTF(1, 2);
+  static void error_d(const char* msg_format, ...) ATTRIBUTE_PRINTF(1, 2);
+
+  static bool had_error();
+  static const char* error_message();
+
+  static void initialize(ZBarrierSet* barrier_set);
+  static void finish();
 };
 
 #endif // SHARE_GC_Z_ZINITIALIZE_HPP
diff --git a/src/hotspot/share/gc/z/zMarkStackAllocator.cpp b/src/hotspot/share/gc/z/zMarkStackAllocator.cpp
index a9e404a0f55..100036dc3fe 100644
--- a/src/hotspot/share/gc/z/zMarkStackAllocator.cpp
+++ b/src/hotspot/share/gc/z/zMarkStackAllocator.cpp
@@ -22,8 +22,8 @@
  */
 
 #include "precompiled.hpp"
-#include "gc/shared/gcLogPrecious.hpp"
 #include "gc/shared/gc_globals.hpp"
+#include "gc/z/zInitialize.hpp"
 #include "gc/z/zLock.inline.hpp"
 #include "gc/z/zMarkStack.inline.hpp"
 #include "gc/z/zMarkStackAllocator.hpp"
@@ -43,7 +43,7 @@ ZMarkStackSpace::ZMarkStackSpace()
   const size_t size = ZMarkStackSpaceLimit;
   const uintptr_t addr = (uintptr_t)os::reserve_memory(size, !ExecMem, mtGC);
   if (addr == 0) {
-    log_error_pd(gc, marking)("Failed to reserve address space for mark stacks");
+    ZInitialize::error_d("Failed to reserve address space for mark stacks");
     return;
   }
 
diff --git a/src/hotspot/share/gc/z/zVirtualMemory.cpp b/src/hotspot/share/gc/z/zVirtualMemory.cpp
index 6b53b2ba7c8..2160aa38948 100644
--- a/src/hotspot/share/gc/z/zVirtualMemory.cpp
+++ b/src/hotspot/share/gc/z/zVirtualMemory.cpp
@@ -27,6 +27,7 @@
 #include "gc/z/zAddress.inline.hpp"
 #include "gc/z/zAddressSpaceLimit.hpp"
 #include "gc/z/zGlobals.hpp"
+#include "gc/z/zInitialize.hpp"
 #include "gc/z/zNMT.hpp"
 #include "gc/z/zVirtualMemory.inline.hpp"
 #include "utilities/align.hpp"
@@ -44,7 +45,7 @@ ZVirtualMemoryManager::ZVirtualMemoryManager(size_t max_capacity)
 
   // Reserve address space
   if (!reserve(max_capacity)) {
-    log_error_pd(gc)("Failed to reserve enough address space for Java heap");
+    ZInitialize::error_d("Failed to reserve enough address space for Java heap");
     return;
   }