diff --git a/target-i386/cpu-qom.h b/target-i386/cpu-qom.h
index 40635c4b1c..5901140480 100644
--- a/target-i386/cpu-qom.h
+++ b/target-i386/cpu-qom.h
@@ -22,6 +22,7 @@
 
 #include "qemu/cpu.h"
 #include "cpu.h"
+#include "error.h"
 
 #ifdef TARGET_X86_64
 #define TYPE_X86_CPU "x86_64-cpu"
@@ -71,5 +72,8 @@ static inline X86CPU *x86_env_get_cpu(CPUX86State *env)
 
 #define ENV_GET_CPU(e) CPU(x86_env_get_cpu(e))
 
+/* TODO Drop once ObjectClass::realize is available */
+void x86_cpu_realize(Object *obj, Error **errp);
+
 
 #endif
diff --git a/target-i386/cpu.c b/target-i386/cpu.c
index 65d9af6ac7..89b4ac7ec5 100644
--- a/target-i386/cpu.c
+++ b/target-i386/cpu.c
@@ -1722,6 +1722,14 @@ static void mce_init(X86CPU *cpu)
     }
 }
 
+void x86_cpu_realize(Object *obj, Error **errp)
+{
+    X86CPU *cpu = X86_CPU(obj);
+
+    mce_init(cpu);
+    qemu_init_vcpu(&cpu->env);
+}
+
 static void x86_cpu_initfn(Object *obj)
 {
     X86CPU *cpu = X86_CPU(obj);
@@ -1755,7 +1763,6 @@ static void x86_cpu_initfn(Object *obj)
                         x86_cpuid_set_tsc_freq, NULL, NULL, NULL);
 
     env->cpuid_apic_id = env->cpu_index;
-    mce_init(cpu);
 }
 
 static void x86_cpu_common_class_init(ObjectClass *oc, void *data)
diff --git a/target-i386/helper.c b/target-i386/helper.c
index 0b22582ed6..3421be2276 100644
--- a/target-i386/helper.c
+++ b/target-i386/helper.c
@@ -1181,7 +1181,7 @@ CPUX86State *cpu_x86_init(const char *cpu_model)
         return NULL;
     }
 
-    qemu_init_vcpu(env);
+    x86_cpu_realize(OBJECT(cpu), NULL);
 
     return env;
 }