diff --git a/fpu/softfloat-specialize.c.inc b/fpu/softfloat-specialize.c.inc
index 77ebc8216f..a5c3e2b8de 100644
--- a/fpu/softfloat-specialize.c.inc
+++ b/fpu/softfloat-specialize.c.inc
@@ -406,7 +406,7 @@ static int pickNaN(FloatClass a_cls, FloatClass b_cls,
     || defined(TARGET_LOONGARCH64) || defined(TARGET_HPPA) \
     || defined(TARGET_S390X) || defined(TARGET_PPC) || defined(TARGET_M68K) \
     || defined(TARGET_SPARC) || defined(TARGET_XTENSA) \
-    || defined(TARGET_I386)
+    || defined(TARGET_I386) || defined(TARGET_ALPHA)
         g_assert_not_reached();
 #else
         rule = float_2nan_prop_x87;
diff --git a/target/alpha/cpu.c b/target/alpha/cpu.c
index 9db1dffc03..5d75c941f7 100644
--- a/target/alpha/cpu.c
+++ b/target/alpha/cpu.c
@@ -24,6 +24,7 @@
 #include "qemu/qemu-print.h"
 #include "cpu.h"
 #include "exec/exec-all.h"
+#include "fpu/softfloat.h"
 
 
 static void alpha_cpu_set_pc(CPUState *cs, vaddr value)
@@ -187,7 +188,17 @@ static void alpha_cpu_initfn(Object *obj)
 {
     CPUAlphaState *env = cpu_env(CPU(obj));
 
+    /* TODO all this should be done in reset, not init */
+
     env->lock_addr = -1;
+
+    /*
+     * TODO: this is incorrect. The Alpha Architecture Handbook version 4
+     * describes NaN propagation in section 4.7.10.4. We should prefer
+     * the operand in Fb (whether it is a QNaN or an SNaN), then the
+     * operand in Fa. That is float_2nan_prop_ba.
+     */
+    set_float_2nan_prop_rule(float_2nan_prop_x87, &env->fp_status);
 #if defined(CONFIG_USER_ONLY)
     env->flags = ENV_FLAG_PS_USER | ENV_FLAG_FEN;
     cpu_alpha_store_fpcr(env, (uint64_t)(FPCR_INVD | FPCR_DZED | FPCR_OVFD