diff --git a/hw/i386/pc.c b/hw/i386/pc.c
index 44eb073abd..e80f02bef4 100644
--- a/hw/i386/pc.c
+++ b/hw/i386/pc.c
@@ -1832,7 +1832,7 @@ static void pc_machine_class_init(ObjectClass *oc, void *data)
     mc->nvdimm_supported = true;
     mc->smp_props.dies_supported = true;
     mc->default_ram_id = "pc.ram";
-    pcmc->default_smbios_ep_type = SMBIOS_ENTRY_POINT_TYPE_64;
+    pcmc->default_smbios_ep_type = SMBIOS_ENTRY_POINT_TYPE_AUTO;
 
     object_class_property_add(oc, PC_MACHINE_MAX_RAM_BELOW_4G, "size",
         pc_machine_get_max_ram_below_4g, pc_machine_set_max_ram_below_4g,
diff --git a/hw/i386/pc_piix.c b/hw/i386/pc_piix.c
index c9a6c0aa68..18ba076609 100644
--- a/hw/i386/pc_piix.c
+++ b/hw/i386/pc_piix.c
@@ -525,12 +525,16 @@ DEFINE_I440FX_MACHINE(v9_0, "pc-i440fx-9.0", NULL,
 
 static void pc_i440fx_8_2_machine_options(MachineClass *m)
 {
+    PCMachineClass *pcmc = PC_MACHINE_CLASS(m);
+
     pc_i440fx_9_0_machine_options(m);
     m->alias = NULL;
     m->is_default = false;
 
     compat_props_add(m->compat_props, hw_compat_8_2, hw_compat_8_2_len);
     compat_props_add(m->compat_props, pc_compat_8_2, pc_compat_8_2_len);
+    /* For pc-i44fx-8.2 and 8.1, use SMBIOS 3.X by default */
+    pcmc->default_smbios_ep_type = SMBIOS_ENTRY_POINT_TYPE_64;
 }
 
 DEFINE_I440FX_MACHINE(v8_2, "pc-i440fx-8.2", NULL,
diff --git a/hw/i386/pc_q35.c b/hw/i386/pc_q35.c
index 8a427c4647..b5922b44af 100644
--- a/hw/i386/pc_q35.c
+++ b/hw/i386/pc_q35.c
@@ -376,11 +376,14 @@ DEFINE_Q35_MACHINE(v9_0, "pc-q35-9.0", NULL,
 
 static void pc_q35_8_2_machine_options(MachineClass *m)
 {
+    PCMachineClass *pcmc = PC_MACHINE_CLASS(m);
     pc_q35_9_0_machine_options(m);
     m->alias = NULL;
     m->max_cpus = 1024;
     compat_props_add(m->compat_props, hw_compat_8_2, hw_compat_8_2_len);
     compat_props_add(m->compat_props, pc_compat_8_2, pc_compat_8_2_len);
+    /* For pc-q35-8.2 and 8.1, use SMBIOS 3.X by default */
+    pcmc->default_smbios_ep_type = SMBIOS_ENTRY_POINT_TYPE_64;
 }
 
 DEFINE_Q35_MACHINE(v8_2, "pc-q35-8.2", NULL,