diff --git a/arch/arm/kvm/arm.c b/arch/arm/kvm/arm.c
index a7b94ecba0d8..3a51ffca75e3 100644
--- a/arch/arm/kvm/arm.c
+++ b/arch/arm/kvm/arm.c
@@ -851,7 +851,7 @@ long kvm_arch_vm_ioctl(struct file *filp,
 	switch (ioctl) {
 	case KVM_CREATE_IRQCHIP: {
 		if (vgic_present)
-			return kvm_vgic_create(kvm);
+			return kvm_vgic_create(kvm, KVM_DEV_TYPE_ARM_VGIC_V2);
 		else
 			return -ENXIO;
 	}
diff --git a/include/kvm/arm_vgic.h b/include/kvm/arm_vgic.h
index ac4888dc86bc..525ce4228495 100644
--- a/include/kvm/arm_vgic.h
+++ b/include/kvm/arm_vgic.h
@@ -140,6 +140,9 @@ struct vgic_dist {
 	bool			in_kernel;
 	bool			ready;
 
+	/* vGIC model the kernel emulates for the guest (GICv2 or GICv3) */
+	u32			vgic_model;
+
 	int			nr_cpus;
 	int			nr_irqs;
 
@@ -275,7 +278,7 @@ struct kvm_exit_mmio;
 int kvm_vgic_addr(struct kvm *kvm, unsigned long type, u64 *addr, bool write);
 int kvm_vgic_hyp_init(void);
 int kvm_vgic_map_resources(struct kvm *kvm);
-int kvm_vgic_create(struct kvm *kvm);
+int kvm_vgic_create(struct kvm *kvm, u32 type);
 void kvm_vgic_destroy(struct kvm *kvm);
 void kvm_vgic_vcpu_destroy(struct kvm_vcpu *vcpu);
 void kvm_vgic_flush_hwstate(struct kvm_vcpu *vcpu);
@@ -327,7 +330,7 @@ static inline int kvm_vgic_map_resources(struct kvm *kvm)
 	return 0;
 }
 
-static inline int kvm_vgic_create(struct kvm *kvm)
+static inline int kvm_vgic_create(struct kvm *kvm, u32 type)
 {
 	return 0;
 }
diff --git a/virt/kvm/arm/vgic.c b/virt/kvm/arm/vgic.c
index c84f53dfcd62..283038e98d53 100644
--- a/virt/kvm/arm/vgic.c
+++ b/virt/kvm/arm/vgic.c
@@ -1698,6 +1698,16 @@ int kvm_vgic_inject_irq(struct kvm *kvm, int cpuid, unsigned int irq_num,
 	int vcpu_id;
 
 	if (unlikely(!vgic_initialized(kvm))) {
+		/*
+		 * We only provide the automatic initialization of the VGIC
+		 * for the legacy case of a GICv2. Any other type must
+		 * be explicitly initialized once setup with the respective
+		 * KVM device call.
+		 */
+		if (kvm->arch.vgic.vgic_model != KVM_DEV_TYPE_ARM_VGIC_V2) {
+			ret = -EBUSY;
+			goto out;
+		}
 		mutex_lock(&kvm->lock);
 		ret = vgic_init(kvm);
 		mutex_unlock(&kvm->lock);
@@ -1935,7 +1945,7 @@ out:
 	return ret;
 }
 
-int kvm_vgic_create(struct kvm *kvm)
+int kvm_vgic_create(struct kvm *kvm, u32 type)
 {
 	int i, vcpu_lock_idx = -1, ret;
 	struct kvm_vcpu *vcpu;
@@ -1967,6 +1977,7 @@ int kvm_vgic_create(struct kvm *kvm)
 
 	spin_lock_init(&kvm->arch.vgic.lock);
 	kvm->arch.vgic.in_kernel = true;
+	kvm->arch.vgic.vgic_model = type;
 	kvm->arch.vgic.vctrl_base = vgic->vctrl_base;
 	kvm->arch.vgic.vgic_dist_base = VGIC_ADDR_UNDEF;
 	kvm->arch.vgic.vgic_cpu_base = VGIC_ADDR_UNDEF;
@@ -2404,7 +2415,7 @@ static void vgic_destroy(struct kvm_device *dev)
 
 static int vgic_create(struct kvm_device *dev, u32 type)
 {
-	return kvm_vgic_create(dev->kvm);
+	return kvm_vgic_create(dev->kvm, type);
 }
 
 static struct kvm_device_ops kvm_arm_vgic_v2_ops = {