diff --git a/target-m68k/cpu.c b/target-m68k/cpu.c
index e3eaffc9ed..42735dbe40 100644
--- a/target-m68k/cpu.c
+++ b/target-m68k/cpu.c
@@ -156,8 +156,14 @@ static void m68k_cpu_initfn(Object *obj)
 {
     M68kCPU *cpu = M68K_CPU(obj);
     CPUM68KState *env = &cpu->env;
+    static bool inited;
 
     cpu_exec_init(env);
+
+    if (tcg_enabled() && !inited) {
+        inited = true;
+        m68k_tcg_init();
+    }
 }
 
 static const VMStateDescription vmstate_m68k_cpu = {
diff --git a/target-m68k/helper.c b/target-m68k/helper.c
index 3ae6fa0492..6030807753 100644
--- a/target-m68k/helper.c
+++ b/target-m68k/helper.c
@@ -103,7 +103,6 @@ CPUM68KState *cpu_m68k_init(const char *cpu_model)
     M68kCPU *cpu;
     CPUM68KState *env;
     ObjectClass *oc;
-    static int inited;
 
     oc = cpu_class_by_name(TYPE_M68K_CPU, cpu_model);
     if (oc == NULL) {
@@ -111,12 +110,6 @@ CPUM68KState *cpu_m68k_init(const char *cpu_model)
     }
     cpu = M68K_CPU(object_new(object_class_get_name(oc)));
     env = &cpu->env;
-
-    if (!inited) {
-        inited = 1;
-        m68k_tcg_init();
-    }
-
     env->cpu_model_str = cpu_model;
 
     register_m68k_insns(env);