diff --git a/hw/i386/pc.c b/hw/i386/pc.c
index ebc27e4cb7..56d8c179ea 100644
--- a/hw/i386/pc.c
+++ b/hw/i386/pc.c
@@ -879,6 +879,18 @@ static uint64_t pc_get_cxl_range_end(PCMachineState *pcms)
     return start;
 }
 
+static hwaddr pc_max_used_gpa(PCMachineState *pcms, uint64_t pci_hole64_size)
+{
+    X86CPU *cpu = X86_CPU(first_cpu);
+
+    /* 32-bit systems don't have hole64 thus return max CPU address */
+    if (cpu->phys_bits <= 32) {
+        return ((hwaddr)1 << cpu->phys_bits) - 1;
+    }
+
+    return pc_pci_hole64_start() + pci_hole64_size - 1;
+}
+
 void pc_memory_init(PCMachineState *pcms,
                     MemoryRegion *system_memory,
                     MemoryRegion *rom_memory,
@@ -893,13 +905,28 @@ void pc_memory_init(PCMachineState *pcms,
     MachineClass *mc = MACHINE_GET_CLASS(machine);
     PCMachineClass *pcmc = PC_MACHINE_GET_CLASS(pcms);
     X86MachineState *x86ms = X86_MACHINE(pcms);
+    hwaddr maxphysaddr, maxusedaddr;
     hwaddr cxl_base, cxl_resv_end = 0;
+    X86CPU *cpu = X86_CPU(first_cpu);
 
     assert(machine->ram_size == x86ms->below_4g_mem_size +
                                 x86ms->above_4g_mem_size);
 
     linux_boot = (machine->kernel_filename != NULL);
 
+    /*
+     * phys-bits is required to be appropriately configured
+     * to make sure max used GPA is reachable.
+     */
+    maxusedaddr = pc_max_used_gpa(pcms, pci_hole64_size);
+    maxphysaddr = ((hwaddr)1 << cpu->phys_bits) - 1;
+    if (maxphysaddr < maxusedaddr) {
+        error_report("Address space limit 0x%"PRIx64" < 0x%"PRIx64
+                     " phys-bits too low (%u)",
+                     maxphysaddr, maxusedaddr, cpu->phys_bits);
+        exit(EXIT_FAILURE);
+    }
+
     /*
      * Split single memory region and use aliases to address portions of it,
      * done for backwards compatibility with older qemus.