diff --git a/hw/ppc/spapr.c b/hw/ppc/spapr.c
index 68a3ceb927..9f89b1c298 100644
--- a/hw/ppc/spapr.c
+++ b/hw/ppc/spapr.c
@@ -4069,7 +4069,8 @@ static void spapr_machine_device_unplug_request(HotplugHandler *hotplug_dev,
     SpaprMachineClass *smc = SPAPR_MACHINE_CLASS(mc);
 
     if (object_dynamic_cast(OBJECT(dev), TYPE_PC_DIMM)) {
-        if (spapr_ovec_test(sms->ov5_cas, OV5_HP_EVT)) {
+        if (!smc->pre_6_0_memory_unplug ||
+            spapr_ovec_test(sms->ov5_cas, OV5_HP_EVT)) {
             spapr_memory_unplug_request(hotplug_dev, dev, errp);
         } else {
             /* NOTE: this means there is a window after guest reset, prior to
@@ -4555,8 +4556,11 @@ DEFINE_SPAPR_MACHINE(6_0, "6.0", true);
  */
 static void spapr_machine_5_2_class_options(MachineClass *mc)
 {
+    SpaprMachineClass *smc = SPAPR_MACHINE_CLASS(mc);
+
     spapr_machine_6_0_class_options(mc);
     compat_props_add(mc->compat_props, hw_compat_5_2, hw_compat_5_2_len);
+    smc->pre_6_0_memory_unplug = true;
 }
 
 DEFINE_SPAPR_MACHINE(5_2, "5.2", false);
diff --git a/hw/ppc/spapr_events.c b/hw/ppc/spapr_events.c
index 3f37b49fd8..6aedd988b3 100644
--- a/hw/ppc/spapr_events.c
+++ b/hw/ppc/spapr_events.c
@@ -658,7 +658,8 @@ static void spapr_hotplug_req_event(uint8_t hp_id, uint8_t hp_action,
         /* we should not be using count_indexed value unless the guest
          * supports dedicated hotplug event source
          */
-        g_assert(spapr_ovec_test(spapr->ov5_cas, OV5_HP_EVT));
+        g_assert(!SPAPR_MACHINE_GET_CLASS(spapr)->pre_6_0_memory_unplug ||
+                 spapr_ovec_test(spapr->ov5_cas, OV5_HP_EVT));
         hp->drc_id.count_indexed.count =
             cpu_to_be32(drc_id->count_indexed.count);
         hp->drc_id.count_indexed.index =
diff --git a/include/hw/ppc/spapr.h b/include/hw/ppc/spapr.h
index e0f10f252c..06a5b4259f 100644
--- a/include/hw/ppc/spapr.h
+++ b/include/hw/ppc/spapr.h
@@ -139,6 +139,7 @@ struct SpaprMachineClass {
     hwaddr rma_limit;          /* clamp the RMA to this size */
     bool pre_5_1_assoc_refpoints;
     bool pre_5_2_numa_associativity;
+    bool pre_6_0_memory_unplug;
 
     bool (*phb_placement)(SpaprMachineState *spapr, uint32_t index,
                           uint64_t *buid, hwaddr *pio,