diff --git a/default-configs/alpha-softmmu.mak b/default-configs/alpha-softmmu.mak
index f0c1928fd6..762e3a29ab 100644
--- a/default-configs/alpha-softmmu.mak
+++ b/default-configs/alpha-softmmu.mak
@@ -2,13 +2,8 @@
 
 CONFIG_PCI=y
 CONFIG_PCI_DEVICES=y
-CONFIG_SERIAL=y
-CONFIG_SERIAL_ISA=y
 CONFIG_I82374=y
 CONFIG_I8254=y
-CONFIG_I8257=y
-CONFIG_PARALLEL=y
-CONFIG_FDC=y
 CONFIG_PCKBD=y
 CONFIG_VGA_CIRRUS=y
 CONFIG_VMWARE_VGA=y
diff --git a/default-configs/ppc-softmmu.mak b/default-configs/ppc-softmmu.mak
index d1ee6f7da8..9ad307a025 100644
--- a/default-configs/ppc-softmmu.mak
+++ b/default-configs/ppc-softmmu.mak
@@ -9,12 +9,10 @@ CONFIG_TEST_DEVICES=y
 CONFIG_PPC4XX=y
 CONFIG_M48T59=y
 CONFIG_SERIAL=y
-CONFIG_I8257=y
 CONFIG_OPENPIC=y
 CONFIG_PPCE500_PCI=y
 CONFIG_PFLASH_CFI01=y
 CONFIG_PFLASH_CFI02=y
-CONFIG_I8259=y
 CONFIG_XILINX=y
 CONFIG_XILINX_ETHLITE=y
 CONFIG_E500=y
@@ -58,17 +56,10 @@ CONFIG_MAC_NEWWORLD=y
 # For PReP
 CONFIG_PREP=y
 CONFIG_PREP_PCI=y
-CONFIG_SERIAL_ISA=y
-CONFIG_MC146818RTC=y
 CONFIG_RS6000_MC=y
-CONFIG_PARALLEL=y
 CONFIG_I82374=y
 CONFIG_I82378=y
-CONFIG_I8254=y
 CONFIG_PCKBD=y
-CONFIG_FDC=y
 CONFIG_NE2000_ISA=y
 CONFIG_PC87312=y
-CONFIG_PCSPK=y
-CONFIG_IDE_ISA=y
 CONFIG_CS4231A=y
diff --git a/default-configs/sh4-softmmu.mak b/default-configs/sh4-softmmu.mak
index ccefc10670..4ba558488f 100644
--- a/default-configs/sh4-softmmu.mak
+++ b/default-configs/sh4-softmmu.mak
@@ -1,20 +1,15 @@
-# Default configuration for sh4-softmmu
+# Default configuration for sh4eb-softmmu
 
 CONFIG_PCI=y
 CONFIG_PCI_DEVICES=y
 CONFIG_SERIAL=y
-CONFIG_SERIAL_ISA=y
 CONFIG_PFLASH_CFI02=y
 CONFIG_SH4=y
 CONFIG_IDE_MMIO=y
 CONFIG_SM501=y
 CONFIG_TEST_DEVICES=y
 CONFIG_I82378=y
-CONFIG_I8259=y
-CONFIG_I8254=y
-CONFIG_PCSPK=y
 CONFIG_I82374=y
-CONFIG_I8257=y
-CONFIG_MC146818RTC=y
 CONFIG_R2D=y
 CONFIG_SHIX=y
+CONFIG_TEST_DEVICES=y
diff --git a/default-configs/sh4eb-softmmu.mak b/default-configs/sh4eb-softmmu.mak
index c8edeb77d7..9717673d20 100644
--- a/default-configs/sh4eb-softmmu.mak
+++ b/default-configs/sh4eb-softmmu.mak
@@ -3,18 +3,12 @@
 CONFIG_PCI=y
 CONFIG_PCI_DEVICES=y
 CONFIG_SERIAL=y
-CONFIG_SERIAL_ISA=y
 CONFIG_PFLASH_CFI02=y
 CONFIG_SH4=y
 CONFIG_IDE_MMIO=y
 CONFIG_SM501=y
 CONFIG_TEST_DEVICES=y
 CONFIG_I82378=y
-CONFIG_I8259=y
-CONFIG_I8254=y
-CONFIG_PCSPK=y
 CONFIG_I82374=y
-CONFIG_I8257=y
-CONFIG_MC146818RTC=y
 CONFIG_R2D=y
 CONFIG_SHIX=y
diff --git a/hw/block/Kconfig b/hw/block/Kconfig
index 00f9dad372..df96dc5dcc 100644
--- a/hw/block/Kconfig
+++ b/hw/block/Kconfig
@@ -1,7 +1,8 @@
 config FDC
     bool
-    default y
-    depends on ISA_BUS
+    # FIXME: there is no separate file for the MMIO floppy disk controller, so
+    # select ISA_BUS here instead of polluting each board that requires one
+    select ISA_BUS
 
 config SSI_M25P80
     bool
diff --git a/hw/isa/Kconfig b/hw/isa/Kconfig
index fcd87b4d1f..57e09a0cb8 100644
--- a/hw/isa/Kconfig
+++ b/hw/isa/Kconfig
@@ -7,26 +7,47 @@ config APM
 config I82378
     bool
     select ISA_BUS
+    select I8259
+    select I8254
+    select I82374
+    select MC146818RTC
 
 config PC87312
     bool
     select ISA_BUS
+    select I8259
+    select I8254
+    select I8257
+    select MC146818RTC
+    select SERIAL_ISA
+    select PARALLEL
+    select FDC
+    select IDE_ISA
 
 config PIIX4
     bool
+    # For historical reasons, SuperIO devices are created in the board
+    # for PIIX4.
     select ISA_BUS
 
 config VT82C686
     bool
     select ISA_BUS
     select ACPI_SMBUS
+    select SERIAL_ISA
+    select FDC
 
 config SMC37C669
     bool
     select ISA_BUS
+    select SERIAL_ISA
+    select PARALLEL
+    select FDC
 
 config LPC_ICH9
     bool
+    # For historical reasons, SuperIO devices are created in the board
+    # for ICH9.
     select ISA_BUS
     select ACPI_SMBUS
     select ACPI_X86_ICH