diff --git a/target/i386/cpu.c b/target/i386/cpu.c
index 6ad24774c5..f3b25c7301 100644
--- a/target/i386/cpu.c
+++ b/target/i386/cpu.c
@@ -6356,9 +6356,14 @@ static void x86_cpu_expand_features(X86CPU *cpu, Error **errp)
         x86_cpu_adjust_feat_level(cpu, FEAT_XSAVE);
 
         /* Intel Processor Trace requires CPUID[0x14] */
-        if ((env->features[FEAT_7_0_EBX] & CPUID_7_0_EBX_INTEL_PT) &&
-             kvm_enabled() && cpu->intel_pt_auto_level) {
-            x86_cpu_adjust_level(cpu, &cpu->env.cpuid_min_level, 0x14);
+        if ((env->features[FEAT_7_0_EBX] & CPUID_7_0_EBX_INTEL_PT)) {
+            if (cpu->intel_pt_auto_level) {
+                x86_cpu_adjust_level(cpu, &cpu->env.cpuid_min_level, 0x14);
+            } else if (cpu->env.cpuid_min_level < 0x14) {
+                mark_unavailable_features(cpu, FEAT_7_0_EBX,
+                    CPUID_7_0_EBX_INTEL_PT,
+                    "Intel PT need CPUID leaf 0x14, please set by \"-cpu ...,+intel-pt,level=0x14\"");
+            }
         }
 
         /* CPU topology with multi-dies support requires CPUID[0x1F] */