diff --git a/hw/char/lm32_juart.c b/hw/char/lm32_juart.c
index 5bf8acfe8f..28c2cf702d 100644
--- a/hw/char/lm32_juart.c
+++ b/hw/char/lm32_juart.c
@@ -114,17 +114,13 @@ static void juart_reset(DeviceState *d)
     s->jrx = 0;
 }
 
-static int lm32_juart_init(SysBusDevice *dev)
+static void lm32_juart_realize(DeviceState *dev, Error **errp)
 {
     LM32JuartState *s = LM32_JUART(dev);
 
-    /* FIXME use a qdev chardev prop instead of qemu_char_get_next_serial() */
-    s->chr = qemu_char_get_next_serial();
     if (s->chr) {
         qemu_chr_add_handlers(s->chr, juart_can_rx, juart_rx, juart_event, s);
     }
-
-    return 0;
 }
 
 static const VMStateDescription vmstate_lm32_juart = {
@@ -138,16 +134,19 @@ static const VMStateDescription vmstate_lm32_juart = {
     }
 };
 
+static Property lm32_juart_properties[] = {
+    DEFINE_PROP_CHR("chardev", LM32JuartState, chr),
+    DEFINE_PROP_END_OF_LIST(),
+};
+
 static void lm32_juart_class_init(ObjectClass *klass, void *data)
 {
     DeviceClass *dc = DEVICE_CLASS(klass);
-    SysBusDeviceClass *k = SYS_BUS_DEVICE_CLASS(klass);
 
-    k->init = lm32_juart_init;
     dc->reset = juart_reset;
     dc->vmsd = &vmstate_lm32_juart;
-    /* Reason: init() method uses qemu_char_get_next_serial() */
-    dc->cannot_instantiate_with_device_add_yet = true;
+    dc->props = lm32_juart_properties;
+    dc->realize = lm32_juart_realize;
 }
 
 static const TypeInfo lm32_juart_info = {
diff --git a/hw/lm32/lm32.h b/hw/lm32/lm32.h
index 18aa6fdc15..a993f0046c 100644
--- a/hw/lm32/lm32.h
+++ b/hw/lm32/lm32.h
@@ -16,11 +16,12 @@ static inline DeviceState *lm32_pic_init(qemu_irq cpu_irq)
     return dev;
 }
 
-static inline DeviceState *lm32_juart_init(void)
+static inline DeviceState *lm32_juart_init(CharDriverState *chr)
 {
     DeviceState *dev;
 
     dev = qdev_create(NULL, TYPE_LM32_JUART);
+    qdev_prop_set_chr(dev, "chardev", chr);
     qdev_init_nofail(dev);
 
     return dev;
diff --git a/hw/lm32/lm32_boards.c b/hw/lm32/lm32_boards.c
index c0290560fc..2ae6555b5b 100644
--- a/hw/lm32/lm32_boards.c
+++ b/hw/lm32/lm32_boards.c
@@ -31,6 +31,7 @@
 #include "lm32_hwsetup.h"
 #include "lm32.h"
 #include "exec/address-spaces.h"
+#include "sysemu/sysemu.h"
 
 typedef struct {
     LM32CPU *cpu;
@@ -136,7 +137,7 @@ static void lm32_evr_init(MachineState *machine)
     sysbus_create_simple("lm32-timer", timer1_base, irq[timer1_irq]);
 
     /* make sure juart isn't the first chardev */
-    env->juart_state = lm32_juart_init();
+    env->juart_state = lm32_juart_init(serial_hds[1]);
 
     reset_info->bootstrap_pc = flash_base;
 
@@ -238,7 +239,7 @@ static void lm32_uclinux_init(MachineState *machine)
     sysbus_create_simple("lm32-timer", timer2_base, irq[timer2_irq]);
 
     /* make sure juart isn't the first chardev */
-    env->juart_state = lm32_juart_init();
+    env->juart_state = lm32_juart_init(serial_hds[1]);
 
     reset_info->bootstrap_pc = flash_base;
 
diff --git a/hw/lm32/milkymist.c b/hw/lm32/milkymist.c
index 1abdf6e2e6..ebd8a3c124 100644
--- a/hw/lm32/milkymist.c
+++ b/hw/lm32/milkymist.c
@@ -175,7 +175,7 @@ milkymist_init(MachineState *machine)
             0x20000000, 0x1000, 0x20020000, 0x2000);
 
     /* make sure juart isn't the first chardev */
-    env->juart_state = lm32_juart_init();
+    env->juart_state = lm32_juart_init(serial_hds[1]);
 
     if (kernel_filename) {
         uint64_t entry;