diff --git a/target/riscv/cpu.c b/target/riscv/cpu.c
index e1e8057836..1e97473af2 100644
--- a/target/riscv/cpu.c
+++ b/target/riscv/cpu.c
@@ -313,17 +313,24 @@ const char *satp_mode_str(uint8_t satp_mode, bool is_32_bit)
     g_assert_not_reached();
 }
 
-/* Sets the satp mode to the max supported */
-static void set_satp_mode_default_map(RISCVCPU *cpu)
+static void set_satp_mode_max_supported(RISCVCPU *cpu,
+                                        uint8_t satp_mode)
 {
     bool rv32 = riscv_cpu_mxl(&cpu->env) == MXL_RV32;
+    const bool *valid_vm = rv32 ? valid_vm_1_10_32 : valid_vm_1_10_64;
 
-    if (riscv_feature(&cpu->env, RISCV_FEATURE_MMU)) {
-        cpu->cfg.satp_mode.map |= (1 << (rv32 ? VM_1_10_SV32 : VM_1_10_SV57));
-    } else {
-        cpu->cfg.satp_mode.map |= (1 << VM_1_10_MBARE);
+    for (int i = 0; i <= satp_mode; ++i) {
+        if (valid_vm[i]) {
+            cpu->cfg.satp_mode.supported |= (1 << i);
+        }
     }
 }
+
+/* Set the satp mode to the max supported */
+static void set_satp_mode_default_map(RISCVCPU *cpu)
+{
+    cpu->cfg.satp_mode.map = cpu->cfg.satp_mode.supported;
+}
 #endif
 
 static void riscv_any_cpu_init(Object *obj)
@@ -334,6 +341,13 @@ static void riscv_any_cpu_init(Object *obj)
 #elif defined(TARGET_RISCV64)
     set_misa(env, MXL_RV64, RVI | RVM | RVA | RVF | RVD | RVC | RVU);
 #endif
+
+#ifndef CONFIG_USER_ONLY
+    set_satp_mode_max_supported(RISCV_CPU(obj),
+            riscv_cpu_mxl(&RISCV_CPU(obj)->env) == MXL_RV32 ?
+                                    VM_1_10_SV32 : VM_1_10_SV57);
+#endif
+
     set_priv_version(env, PRIV_VERSION_1_12_0);
     register_cpu_props(obj);
 }
@@ -347,6 +361,9 @@ static void rv64_base_cpu_init(Object *obj)
     register_cpu_props(obj);
     /* Set latest version of privileged specification */
     set_priv_version(env, PRIV_VERSION_1_12_0);
+#ifndef CONFIG_USER_ONLY
+    set_satp_mode_max_supported(RISCV_CPU(obj), VM_1_10_SV57);
+#endif
 }
 
 static void rv64_sifive_u_cpu_init(Object *obj)
@@ -355,6 +372,9 @@ static void rv64_sifive_u_cpu_init(Object *obj)
     set_misa(env, MXL_RV64, RVI | RVM | RVA | RVF | RVD | RVC | RVS | RVU);
     register_cpu_props(obj);
     set_priv_version(env, PRIV_VERSION_1_10_0);
+#ifndef CONFIG_USER_ONLY
+    set_satp_mode_max_supported(RISCV_CPU(obj), VM_1_10_SV39);
+#endif
 }
 
 static void rv64_sifive_e_cpu_init(Object *obj)
@@ -366,6 +386,9 @@ static void rv64_sifive_e_cpu_init(Object *obj)
     register_cpu_props(obj);
     set_priv_version(env, PRIV_VERSION_1_10_0);
     cpu->cfg.mmu = false;
+#ifndef CONFIG_USER_ONLY
+    set_satp_mode_max_supported(cpu, VM_1_10_MBARE);
+#endif
 }
 
 static void rv64_thead_c906_cpu_init(Object *obj)
@@ -395,6 +418,9 @@ static void rv64_thead_c906_cpu_init(Object *obj)
     cpu->cfg.ext_xtheadsync = true;
 
     cpu->cfg.mvendorid = THEAD_VENDOR_ID;
+#ifndef CONFIG_USER_ONLY
+    set_satp_mode_max_supported(cpu, VM_1_10_SV39);
+#endif
 }
 
 static void rv128_base_cpu_init(Object *obj)
@@ -411,6 +437,9 @@ static void rv128_base_cpu_init(Object *obj)
     register_cpu_props(obj);
     /* Set latest version of privileged specification */
     set_priv_version(env, PRIV_VERSION_1_12_0);
+#ifndef CONFIG_USER_ONLY
+    set_satp_mode_max_supported(RISCV_CPU(obj), VM_1_10_SV57);
+#endif
 }
 #else
 static void rv32_base_cpu_init(Object *obj)
@@ -421,6 +450,9 @@ static void rv32_base_cpu_init(Object *obj)
     register_cpu_props(obj);
     /* Set latest version of privileged specification */
     set_priv_version(env, PRIV_VERSION_1_12_0);
+#ifndef CONFIG_USER_ONLY
+    set_satp_mode_max_supported(RISCV_CPU(obj), VM_1_10_SV32);
+#endif
 }
 
 static void rv32_sifive_u_cpu_init(Object *obj)
@@ -429,6 +461,9 @@ static void rv32_sifive_u_cpu_init(Object *obj)
     set_misa(env, MXL_RV32, RVI | RVM | RVA | RVF | RVD | RVC | RVS | RVU);
     register_cpu_props(obj);
     set_priv_version(env, PRIV_VERSION_1_10_0);
+#ifndef CONFIG_USER_ONLY
+    set_satp_mode_max_supported(RISCV_CPU(obj), VM_1_10_SV32);
+#endif
 }
 
 static void rv32_sifive_e_cpu_init(Object *obj)
@@ -440,6 +475,9 @@ static void rv32_sifive_e_cpu_init(Object *obj)
     register_cpu_props(obj);
     set_priv_version(env, PRIV_VERSION_1_10_0);
     cpu->cfg.mmu = false;
+#ifndef CONFIG_USER_ONLY
+    set_satp_mode_max_supported(cpu, VM_1_10_MBARE);
+#endif
 }
 
 static void rv32_ibex_cpu_init(Object *obj)
@@ -451,6 +489,9 @@ static void rv32_ibex_cpu_init(Object *obj)
     register_cpu_props(obj);
     set_priv_version(env, PRIV_VERSION_1_11_0);
     cpu->cfg.mmu = false;
+#ifndef CONFIG_USER_ONLY
+    set_satp_mode_max_supported(cpu, VM_1_10_MBARE);
+#endif
     cpu->cfg.epmp = true;
 }
 
@@ -463,6 +504,9 @@ static void rv32_imafcu_nommu_cpu_init(Object *obj)
     register_cpu_props(obj);
     set_priv_version(env, PRIV_VERSION_1_10_0);
     cpu->cfg.mmu = false;
+#ifndef CONFIG_USER_ONLY
+    set_satp_mode_max_supported(cpu, VM_1_10_MBARE);
+#endif
 }
 #endif
 
@@ -999,8 +1043,9 @@ static void riscv_cpu_validate_set_extensions(RISCVCPU *cpu, Error **errp)
 static void riscv_cpu_satp_mode_finalize(RISCVCPU *cpu, Error **errp)
 {
     bool rv32 = riscv_cpu_mxl(&cpu->env) == MXL_RV32;
-    const bool *valid_vm = rv32 ? valid_vm_1_10_32 : valid_vm_1_10_64;
-    uint8_t satp_mode_max;
+    uint8_t satp_mode_map_max;
+    uint8_t satp_mode_supported_max =
+                        satp_mode_max_from_map(cpu->cfg.satp_mode.supported);
 
     if (cpu->cfg.satp_mode.map == 0) {
         if (cpu->cfg.satp_mode.init == 0) {
@@ -1013,9 +1058,10 @@ static void riscv_cpu_satp_mode_finalize(RISCVCPU *cpu, Error **errp)
              * valid_vm_1_10_32/64.
              */
             for (int i = 1; i < 16; ++i) {
-                if ((cpu->cfg.satp_mode.init & (1 << i)) && valid_vm[i]) {
+                if ((cpu->cfg.satp_mode.init & (1 << i)) &&
+                    (cpu->cfg.satp_mode.supported & (1 << i))) {
                     for (int j = i - 1; j >= 0; --j) {
-                        if (valid_vm[j]) {
+                        if (cpu->cfg.satp_mode.supported & (1 << j)) {
                             cpu->cfg.satp_mode.map |= (1 << j);
                             break;
                         }
@@ -1026,37 +1072,36 @@ static void riscv_cpu_satp_mode_finalize(RISCVCPU *cpu, Error **errp)
         }
     }
 
-    /* Make sure the configuration asked is supported by qemu */
-    for (int i = 0; i < 16; ++i) {
-        if ((cpu->cfg.satp_mode.map & (1 << i)) && !valid_vm[i]) {
-            error_setg(errp, "satp_mode %s is not valid",
-                       satp_mode_str(i, rv32));
-            return;
-        }
+    satp_mode_map_max = satp_mode_max_from_map(cpu->cfg.satp_mode.map);
+
+    /* Make sure the user asked for a supported configuration (HW and qemu) */
+    if (satp_mode_map_max > satp_mode_supported_max) {
+        error_setg(errp, "satp_mode %s is higher than hw max capability %s",
+                   satp_mode_str(satp_mode_map_max, rv32),
+                   satp_mode_str(satp_mode_supported_max, rv32));
+        return;
     }
 
     /*
      * Make sure the user did not ask for an invalid configuration as per
      * the specification.
      */
-    satp_mode_max = satp_mode_max_from_map(cpu->cfg.satp_mode.map);
-
     if (!rv32) {
-        for (int i = satp_mode_max - 1; i >= 0; --i) {
+        for (int i = satp_mode_map_max - 1; i >= 0; --i) {
             if (!(cpu->cfg.satp_mode.map & (1 << i)) &&
                 (cpu->cfg.satp_mode.init & (1 << i)) &&
-                valid_vm[i]) {
+                (cpu->cfg.satp_mode.supported & (1 << i))) {
                 error_setg(errp, "cannot disable %s satp mode if %s "
                            "is enabled", satp_mode_str(i, false),
-                           satp_mode_str(satp_mode_max, false));
+                           satp_mode_str(satp_mode_map_max, false));
                 return;
             }
         }
     }
 
     /* Finally expand the map so that all valid modes are set */
-    for (int i = satp_mode_max - 1; i >= 0; --i) {
-        if (valid_vm[i]) {
+    for (int i = satp_mode_map_max - 1; i >= 0; --i) {
+        if (cpu->cfg.satp_mode.supported & (1 << i)) {
             cpu->cfg.satp_mode.map |= (1 << i);
         }
     }
diff --git a/target/riscv/cpu.h b/target/riscv/cpu.h
index 67ac665ff0..638e47c75a 100644
--- a/target/riscv/cpu.h
+++ b/target/riscv/cpu.h
@@ -404,13 +404,17 @@ struct RISCVCPUClass {
 
 /*
  * map is a 16-bit bitmap: the most significant set bit in map is the maximum
- * satp mode that is supported.
+ * satp mode that is supported. It may be chosen by the user and must respect
+ * what qemu implements (valid_1_10_32/64) and what the hw is capable of
+ * (supported bitmap below).
  *
  * init is a 16-bit bitmap used to make sure the user selected a correct
  * configuration as per the specification.
+ *
+ * supported is a 16-bit bitmap used to reflect the hw capabilities.
  */
 typedef struct {
-    uint16_t map, init;
+    uint16_t map, init, supported;
 } RISCVSATPMap;
 
 struct RISCVCPUConfig {