diff --git a/block/blkdebug.c b/block/blkdebug.c
index 46e53f2f09..dfdf9b91aa 100644
--- a/block/blkdebug.c
+++ b/block/blkdebug.c
@@ -244,7 +244,6 @@ static int read_config(BDRVBlkdebugState *s, const char *filename,
         ret = qemu_config_parse(f, config_groups, filename);
         if (ret < 0) {
             error_setg(errp, "Could not parse blkdebug config file");
-            ret = -EINVAL;
             goto fail;
         }
     }
diff --git a/hw/core/machine.c b/hw/core/machine.c
index 80647edc2a..36c2fb069c 100644
--- a/hw/core/machine.c
+++ b/hw/core/machine.c
@@ -758,6 +758,38 @@ void machine_run_board_init(MachineState *machine)
     if (nb_numa_nodes) {
         machine_numa_finish_init(machine);
     }
+
+    /* If the machine supports the valid_cpu_types check and the user
+     * specified a CPU with -cpu check here that the user CPU is supported.
+     */
+    if (machine_class->valid_cpu_types && machine->cpu_type) {
+        ObjectClass *class = object_class_by_name(machine->cpu_type);
+        int i;
+
+        for (i = 0; machine_class->valid_cpu_types[i]; i++) {
+            if (object_class_dynamic_cast(class,
+                                          machine_class->valid_cpu_types[i])) {
+                /* The user specificed CPU is in the valid field, we are
+                 * good to go.
+                 */
+                break;
+            }
+        }
+
+        if (!machine_class->valid_cpu_types[i]) {
+            /* The user specified CPU is not valid */
+            error_report("Invalid CPU type: %s", machine->cpu_type);
+            error_printf("The valid types are: %s",
+                         machine_class->valid_cpu_types[0]);
+            for (i = 1; machine_class->valid_cpu_types[i]; i++) {
+                error_printf(", %s", machine_class->valid_cpu_types[i]);
+            }
+            error_printf("\n");
+
+            exit(1);
+        }
+    }
+
     machine_class->init(machine);
 }
 
diff --git a/include/hw/boards.h b/include/hw/boards.h
index 156e0a5701..191a5b3cd8 100644
--- a/include/hw/boards.h
+++ b/include/hw/boards.h
@@ -191,6 +191,7 @@ struct MachineClass {
     bool has_hotpluggable_cpus;
     bool ignore_memory_transaction_failures;
     int numa_mem_align_shift;
+    const char **valid_cpu_types;
     void (*numa_auto_assign_ram)(MachineClass *mc, NodeInfo *nodes,
                                  int nb_nodes, ram_addr_t size);
 
diff --git a/include/qom/object.h b/include/qom/object.h
index e0d9824415..a707b67781 100644
--- a/include/qom/object.h
+++ b/include/qom/object.h
@@ -773,7 +773,7 @@ const char *object_get_typename(const Object *obj);
  * @info and all of the strings it points to should exist for the life time
  * that the type is registered.
  *
- * Returns: 0 on failure, the new #Type on success.
+ * Returns: the new #Type.
  */
 Type type_register_static(const TypeInfo *info);
 
@@ -784,7 +784,7 @@ Type type_register_static(const TypeInfo *info);
  * Unlike type_register_static(), this call does not require @info or its
  * string members to continue to exist after the call returns.
  *
- * Returns: 0 on failure, the new #Type on success.
+ * Returns: the new #Type.
  */
 Type type_register(const TypeInfo *info);
 
diff --git a/include/sysemu/sysemu.h b/include/sysemu/sysemu.h
index b21369672a..c083869fcf 100644
--- a/include/sysemu/sysemu.h
+++ b/include/sysemu/sysemu.h
@@ -113,7 +113,7 @@ extern int win2k_install_hack;
 extern int alt_grab;
 extern int ctrl_grab;
 extern int smp_cpus;
-extern int max_cpus;
+extern unsigned int max_cpus;
 extern int cursor_hide;
 extern int graphic_rotate;
 extern int no_quit;
diff --git a/qemu-doc.texi b/qemu-doc.texi
index ecd186a159..d8bb2c664f 100644
--- a/qemu-doc.texi
+++ b/qemu-doc.texi
@@ -2496,6 +2496,10 @@ would automatically enable USB support on the machine type.
 If using the new syntax, USB support must be explicitly
 enabled via the ``-machine usb=on'' argument.
 
+@subsection -nodefconfig (since 2.11.0)
+
+The ``-nodefconfig`` argument is a synonym for ``-no-user-config``.
+
 @section qemu-img command line arguments
 
 @subsection convert -s (since 2.0.0)
diff --git a/qemu-options.hx b/qemu-options.hx
index 39225ae6c3..981742d191 100644
--- a/qemu-options.hx
+++ b/qemu-options.hx
@@ -4067,26 +4067,17 @@ Write device configuration to @var{file}. The @var{file} can be either filename
 command line and device configuration into file or dash @code{-}) character to print the
 output to stdout. This can be later used as input file for @code{-readconfig} option.
 ETEXI
-DEF("nodefconfig", 0, QEMU_OPTION_nodefconfig,
-    "-nodefconfig\n"
-    "                do not load default config files at startup\n",
-    QEMU_ARCH_ALL)
-STEXI
-@item -nodefconfig
-@findex -nodefconfig
-Normally QEMU loads configuration files from @var{sysconfdir} and @var{datadir} at startup.
-The @code{-nodefconfig} option will prevent QEMU from loading any of those config files.
-ETEXI
+HXCOMM Deprecated, same as -no-user-config
+DEF("nodefconfig", 0, QEMU_OPTION_nodefconfig, "", QEMU_ARCH_ALL)
 DEF("no-user-config", 0, QEMU_OPTION_nouserconfig,
     "-no-user-config\n"
-    "                do not load user-provided config files at startup\n",
+    "                do not load default user-provided config files at startup\n",
     QEMU_ARCH_ALL)
 STEXI
 @item -no-user-config
 @findex -no-user-config
 The @code{-no-user-config} option makes QEMU not load any of the user-provided
-config files on @var{sysconfdir}, but won't make it skip the QEMU-provided config
-files from @var{datadir}.
+config files on @var{sysconfdir}.
 ETEXI
 DEF("trace", HAS_ARG, QEMU_OPTION_trace,
     "-trace [[enable=]<pattern>][,events=<file>][,file=<file>]\n"
diff --git a/qom/cpu.c b/qom/cpu.c
index 94fa8fe005..54c9452b1c 100644
--- a/qom/cpu.c
+++ b/qom/cpu.c
@@ -316,7 +316,12 @@ static bool cpu_common_has_work(CPUState *cs)
 
 ObjectClass *cpu_class_by_name(const char *typename, const char *cpu_model)
 {
-    CPUClass *cc = CPU_CLASS(object_class_by_name(typename));
+    CPUClass *cc;
+
+    if (!cpu_model) {
+        return NULL;
+    }
+    cc = CPU_CLASS(object_class_by_name(typename));
 
     return cc->class_by_name(cpu_model);
 }
diff --git a/target/alpha/cpu.c b/target/alpha/cpu.c
index e6c6aabdf0..b8a21f4e01 100644
--- a/target/alpha/cpu.c
+++ b/target/alpha/cpu.c
@@ -127,14 +127,10 @@ static const AlphaCPUAlias alpha_cpu_aliases[] = {
 
 static ObjectClass *alpha_cpu_class_by_name(const char *cpu_model)
 {
-    ObjectClass *oc = NULL;
+    ObjectClass *oc;
     char *typename;
     int i;
 
-    if (cpu_model == NULL) {
-        return NULL;
-    }
-
     oc = object_class_by_name(cpu_model);
     if (oc != NULL && object_class_dynamic_cast(oc, TYPE_ALPHA_CPU) != NULL &&
         !object_class_is_abstract(oc)) {
diff --git a/target/arm/cpu.c b/target/arm/cpu.c
index f4f601f079..88578f360e 100644
--- a/target/arm/cpu.c
+++ b/target/arm/cpu.c
@@ -939,10 +939,6 @@ static ObjectClass *arm_cpu_class_by_name(const char *cpu_model)
     char *typename;
     char **cpuname;
 
-    if (!cpu_model) {
-        return NULL;
-    }
-
     cpuname = g_strsplit(cpu_model, ",", 1);
     typename = g_strdup_printf(ARM_CPU_TYPE_NAME("%s"), cpuname[0]);
     oc = object_class_by_name(typename);
diff --git a/target/cris/cpu.c b/target/cris/cpu.c
index ceebfed79b..88d93f2d11 100644
--- a/target/cris/cpu.c
+++ b/target/cris/cpu.c
@@ -69,10 +69,6 @@ static ObjectClass *cris_cpu_class_by_name(const char *cpu_model)
     ObjectClass *oc;
     char *typename;
 
-    if (cpu_model == NULL) {
-        return NULL;
-    }
-
 #if defined(CONFIG_USER_ONLY)
     if (strcasecmp(cpu_model, "any") == 0) {
         return object_class_by_name("crisv32-" TYPE_CRIS_CPU);
diff --git a/target/i386/translate.c b/target/i386/translate.c
index a8986f4c1a..7b920115f9 100644
--- a/target/i386/translate.c
+++ b/target/i386/translate.c
@@ -8155,9 +8155,9 @@ static target_ulong disas_insn(DisasContext *s, CPUState *cpu)
             break;
 
         case 0xc0 ... 0xc7: /* rdfsbase (f3 0f ae /0) */
-        case 0xc8 ... 0xc8: /* rdgsbase (f3 0f ae /1) */
+        case 0xc8 ... 0xcf: /* rdgsbase (f3 0f ae /1) */
         case 0xd0 ... 0xd7: /* wrfsbase (f3 0f ae /2) */
-        case 0xd8 ... 0xd8: /* wrgsbase (f3 0f ae /3) */
+        case 0xd8 ... 0xdf: /* wrgsbase (f3 0f ae /3) */
             if (CODE64(s)
                 && (prefixes & PREFIX_REPZ)
                 && !(prefixes & PREFIX_LOCK)
diff --git a/target/lm32/cpu.c b/target/lm32/cpu.c
index 2b8c36b6d0..bf081f56d2 100644
--- a/target/lm32/cpu.c
+++ b/target/lm32/cpu.c
@@ -246,10 +246,6 @@ static ObjectClass *lm32_cpu_class_by_name(const char *cpu_model)
     ObjectClass *oc;
     char *typename;
 
-    if (cpu_model == NULL) {
-        return NULL;
-    }
-
     typename = g_strdup_printf("%s-" TYPE_LM32_CPU, cpu_model);
     oc = object_class_by_name(typename);
     g_free(typename);
diff --git a/target/m68k/cpu.c b/target/m68k/cpu.c
index 55bf24bae6..8c70e0805c 100644
--- a/target/m68k/cpu.c
+++ b/target/m68k/cpu.c
@@ -87,10 +87,6 @@ static ObjectClass *m68k_cpu_class_by_name(const char *cpu_model)
     ObjectClass *oc;
     char *typename;
 
-    if (cpu_model == NULL) {
-        return NULL;
-    }
-
     typename = g_strdup_printf("%s-" TYPE_M68K_CPU, cpu_model);
     oc = object_class_by_name(typename);
     g_free(typename);
diff --git a/target/mips/cpu.c b/target/mips/cpu.c
index 1a9a3ed94d..c15b894362 100644
--- a/target/mips/cpu.c
+++ b/target/mips/cpu.c
@@ -166,10 +166,6 @@ static ObjectClass *mips_cpu_class_by_name(const char *cpu_model)
     ObjectClass *oc;
     char *typename;
 
-    if (cpu_model == NULL) {
-        return NULL;
-    }
-
     typename = mips_cpu_type_name(cpu_model);
     oc = object_class_by_name(typename);
     g_free(typename);
diff --git a/target/moxie/cpu.c b/target/moxie/cpu.c
index 748d02f29e..30bd44fcad 100644
--- a/target/moxie/cpu.c
+++ b/target/moxie/cpu.c
@@ -89,13 +89,7 @@ static void moxie_cpu_initfn(Object *obj)
 
 static ObjectClass *moxie_cpu_class_by_name(const char *cpu_model)
 {
-    ObjectClass *oc;
-
-    if (cpu_model == NULL) {
-        return NULL;
-    }
-
-    oc = object_class_by_name(cpu_model);
+    ObjectClass *oc = object_class_by_name(cpu_model);
     if (oc != NULL && (!object_class_dynamic_cast(oc, TYPE_MOXIE_CPU) ||
                        object_class_is_abstract(oc))) {
         return NULL;
diff --git a/target/openrisc/cpu.c b/target/openrisc/cpu.c
index a979f0bf8b..af9cdcc102 100644
--- a/target/openrisc/cpu.c
+++ b/target/openrisc/cpu.c
@@ -108,10 +108,6 @@ static ObjectClass *openrisc_cpu_class_by_name(const char *cpu_model)
     ObjectClass *oc;
     char *typename;
 
-    if (cpu_model == NULL) {
-        return NULL;
-    }
-
     typename = g_strdup_printf("%s-" TYPE_OPENRISC_CPU, cpu_model);
     oc = object_class_by_name(typename);
     g_free(typename);
diff --git a/target/sh4/cpu.c b/target/sh4/cpu.c
index 6ce7cba5a9..252440e019 100644
--- a/target/sh4/cpu.c
+++ b/target/sh4/cpu.c
@@ -133,9 +133,6 @@ static ObjectClass *superh_cpu_class_by_name(const char *cpu_model)
     ObjectClass *oc;
     GSList *list, *item;
 
-    if (cpu_model == NULL) {
-        return NULL;
-    }
     if (strcasecmp(cpu_model, "any") == 0) {
         return object_class_by_name(TYPE_SH7750R_CPU);
     }
diff --git a/target/sparc/cpu.c b/target/sparc/cpu.c
index 0806d699e6..beab90f3e6 100644
--- a/target/sparc/cpu.c
+++ b/target/sparc/cpu.c
@@ -730,10 +730,6 @@ static ObjectClass *sparc_cpu_class_by_name(const char *cpu_model)
     ObjectClass *oc;
     char *typename;
 
-    if (cpu_model == NULL) {
-        return NULL;
-    }
-
     typename = sparc_cpu_type_name(cpu_model);
     oc = object_class_by_name(typename);
     g_free(typename);
diff --git a/target/tricore/cpu.c b/target/tricore/cpu.c
index 5ab5b56454..871eb35453 100644
--- a/target/tricore/cpu.c
+++ b/target/tricore/cpu.c
@@ -120,10 +120,6 @@ static ObjectClass *tricore_cpu_class_by_name(const char *cpu_model)
     ObjectClass *oc;
     char *typename;
 
-    if (!cpu_model) {
-        return NULL;
-    }
-
     typename = g_strdup_printf("%s-" TYPE_TRICORE_CPU, cpu_model);
     oc = object_class_by_name(typename);
     g_free(typename);
diff --git a/target/unicore32/cpu.c b/target/unicore32/cpu.c
index c9b78ce68e..138acc9dd8 100644
--- a/target/unicore32/cpu.c
+++ b/target/unicore32/cpu.c
@@ -44,10 +44,6 @@ static ObjectClass *uc32_cpu_class_by_name(const char *cpu_model)
     ObjectClass *oc;
     char *typename;
 
-    if (cpu_model == NULL) {
-        return NULL;
-    }
-
     typename = g_strdup_printf("%s-" TYPE_UNICORE32_CPU, cpu_model);
     oc = object_class_by_name(typename);
     g_free(typename);
diff --git a/target/xtensa/cpu.c b/target/xtensa/cpu.c
index 85897df0a8..dcdc765a86 100644
--- a/target/xtensa/cpu.c
+++ b/target/xtensa/cpu.c
@@ -83,10 +83,6 @@ static ObjectClass *xtensa_cpu_class_by_name(const char *cpu_model)
     ObjectClass *oc;
     char *typename;
 
-    if (cpu_model == NULL) {
-        return NULL;
-    }
-
     typename = g_strdup_printf("%s-" TYPE_XTENSA_CPU, cpu_model);
     oc = object_class_by_name(typename);
     g_free(typename);
diff --git a/util/qemu-config.c b/util/qemu-config.c
index 405dd1a1d7..99b0e46fa3 100644
--- a/util/qemu-config.c
+++ b/util/qemu-config.c
@@ -385,6 +385,7 @@ void qemu_config_write(FILE *fp)
     }
 }
 
+/* Returns number of config groups on success, -errno on error */
 int qemu_config_parse(FILE *fp, QemuOptsList **lists, const char *fname)
 {
     char line[1024], group[64], id[64], arg[64], value[1024];
@@ -392,7 +393,8 @@ int qemu_config_parse(FILE *fp, QemuOptsList **lists, const char *fname)
     QemuOptsList *list = NULL;
     Error *local_err = NULL;
     QemuOpts *opts = NULL;
-    int res = -1, lno = 0;
+    int res = -EINVAL, lno = 0;
+    int count = 0;
 
     loc_push_none(&loc);
     while (fgets(line, sizeof(line), fp) != NULL) {
@@ -413,6 +415,7 @@ int qemu_config_parse(FILE *fp, QemuOptsList **lists, const char *fname)
                 goto out;
             }
             opts = qemu_opts_create(list, id, 1, NULL);
+            count++;
             continue;
         }
         if (sscanf(line, "[%63[^]]]", group) == 1) {
@@ -423,6 +426,7 @@ int qemu_config_parse(FILE *fp, QemuOptsList **lists, const char *fname)
                 goto out;
             }
             opts = qemu_opts_create(list, NULL, 0, &error_abort);
+            count++;
             continue;
         }
         value[0] = '\0';
@@ -447,7 +451,7 @@ int qemu_config_parse(FILE *fp, QemuOptsList **lists, const char *fname)
         error_report("error reading file");
         goto out;
     }
-    res = 0;
+    res = count;
 out:
     loc_pop(&loc);
     return res;
@@ -464,12 +468,7 @@ int qemu_read_config_file(const char *filename)
 
     ret = qemu_config_parse(f, vm_config_groups, filename);
     fclose(f);
-
-    if (ret == 0) {
-        return 0;
-    } else {
-        return -EINVAL;
-    }
+    return ret;
 }
 
 static void config_parse_qdict_section(QDict *options, QemuOptsList *opts,
diff --git a/vl.c b/vl.c
index 3fed457921..d7c349233f 100644
--- a/vl.c
+++ b/vl.c
@@ -161,7 +161,7 @@ Chardev *sclp_hds[MAX_SCLP_CONSOLES];
 int win2k_install_hack = 0;
 int singlestep = 0;
 int smp_cpus = 1;
-int max_cpus = 1;
+unsigned int max_cpus = 1;
 int smp_cores = 1;
 int smp_threads = 1;
 int acpi_enabled = 1;
@@ -3111,7 +3111,6 @@ int main(int argc, char **argv, char **envp)
     const char *qtest_log = NULL;
     const char *pid_file = NULL;
     const char *incoming = NULL;
-    bool defconfig = true;
     bool userconfig = true;
     bool nographic = false;
     DisplayType display_type = DT_DEFAULT;
@@ -3213,8 +3212,6 @@ int main(int argc, char **argv, char **envp)
             popt = lookup_opt(argc, argv, &optarg, &optind);
             switch (popt->index) {
             case QEMU_OPTION_nodefconfig:
-                defconfig = false;
-                break;
             case QEMU_OPTION_nouserconfig:
                 userconfig = false;
                 break;
@@ -3222,7 +3219,7 @@ int main(int argc, char **argv, char **envp)
         }
     }
 
-    if (defconfig && userconfig) {
+    if (userconfig) {
         if (qemu_read_default_config_file() < 0) {
             exit(1);
         }
@@ -4334,8 +4331,8 @@ int main(int argc, char **argv, char **envp)
 
     machine_class->max_cpus = machine_class->max_cpus ?: 1; /* Default to UP */
     if (max_cpus > machine_class->max_cpus) {
-        error_report("Number of SMP CPUs requested (%d) exceeds max CPUs "
-                     "supported by machine '%s' (%d)", max_cpus,
+        error_report("Invalid SMP CPUs %d. The max CPUs "
+                     "supported by machine '%s' is %d", max_cpus,
                      machine_class->name, machine_class->max_cpus);
         exit(1);
     }