diff --git a/target-s390x/cpu.c b/target-s390x/cpu.c
index ee15783b94..787c937579 100644
--- a/target-s390x/cpu.c
+++ b/target-s390x/cpu.c
@@ -112,6 +112,7 @@ static void s390_cpu_initfn(Object *obj)
 {
     S390CPU *cpu = S390_CPU(obj);
     CPUS390XState *env = &cpu->env;
+    static bool inited;
     static int cpu_num = 0;
 #if !defined(CONFIG_USER_ONLY)
     struct tm tm;
@@ -133,6 +134,11 @@ static void s390_cpu_initfn(Object *obj)
 #endif
     env->cpu_num = cpu_num++;
     env->ext_index = -1;
+
+    if (tcg_enabled() && !inited) {
+        inited = true;
+        s390x_translate_init();
+    }
 }
 
 static void s390_cpu_finalize(Object *obj)
diff --git a/target-s390x/helper.c b/target-s390x/helper.c
index d3bb4561f1..1183b45ca1 100644
--- a/target-s390x/helper.c
+++ b/target-s390x/helper.c
@@ -74,16 +74,9 @@ S390CPU *cpu_s390x_init(const char *cpu_model)
 {
     S390CPU *cpu;
     CPUS390XState *env;
-    static int inited;
 
     cpu = S390_CPU(object_new(TYPE_S390_CPU));
     env = &cpu->env;
-
-    if (tcg_enabled() && !inited) {
-        inited = 1;
-        s390x_translate_init();
-    }
-
     env->cpu_model_str = cpu_model;
 
     object_property_set_bool(OBJECT(cpu), true, "realized", NULL);