diff --git a/hw/i386/pc.c b/hw/i386/pc.c
index e526498164..1ee41a5e56 100644
--- a/hw/i386/pc.c
+++ b/hw/i386/pc.c
@@ -1733,7 +1733,6 @@ static void pc_machine_initfn(Object *obj)
 #endif
     pcms->default_bus_bypass_iommu = false;
 
-    pc_system_flash_create(pcms);
     pcms->pcspk = isa_new(TYPE_PC_SPEAKER);
     object_property_add_alias(OBJECT(pcms), "pcspk-audiodev",
                               OBJECT(pcms->pcspk), "audiodev");
diff --git a/hw/i386/pc_piix.c b/hw/i386/pc_piix.c
index 34203927e1..ec7c07b362 100644
--- a/hw/i386/pc_piix.c
+++ b/hw/i386/pc_piix.c
@@ -231,7 +231,6 @@ static void pc_init1(MachineState *machine,
         assert(machine->ram_size == x86ms->below_4g_mem_size +
                                     x86ms->above_4g_mem_size);
 
-        pc_system_flash_cleanup_unused(pcms);
         if (machine->kernel_filename != NULL) {
             /* For xen HVM direct kernel boot, load linux here */
             xen_load_linux(pcms);
diff --git a/hw/i386/pc_sysfw.c b/hw/i386/pc_sysfw.c
index c8d9e71b88..b4c3833352 100644
--- a/hw/i386/pc_sysfw.c
+++ b/hw/i386/pc_sysfw.c
@@ -91,7 +91,7 @@ static PFlashCFI01 *pc_pflash_create(PCMachineState *pcms,
     return PFLASH_CFI01(dev);
 }
 
-void pc_system_flash_create(PCMachineState *pcms)
+static void pc_system_flash_create(PCMachineState *pcms)
 {
     PCMachineClass *pcmc = PC_MACHINE_GET_CLASS(pcms);
 
@@ -103,7 +103,7 @@ void pc_system_flash_create(PCMachineState *pcms)
     }
 }
 
-void pc_system_flash_cleanup_unused(PCMachineState *pcms)
+static void pc_system_flash_cleanup_unused(PCMachineState *pcms)
 {
     char *prop_name;
     int i;
@@ -212,6 +212,8 @@ void pc_system_firmware_init(PCMachineState *pcms,
         return;
     }
 
+    pc_system_flash_create(pcms);
+
     /* Map legacy -drive if=pflash to machine properties */
     for (i = 0; i < ARRAY_SIZE(pcms->flash); i++) {
         pflash_cfi01_legacy_drive(pcms->flash[i],
diff --git a/include/hw/i386/pc.h b/include/hw/i386/pc.h
index 0a8a96600c..e8f4af5d5c 100644
--- a/include/hw/i386/pc.h
+++ b/include/hw/i386/pc.h
@@ -193,8 +193,6 @@ void pc_i8259_create(ISABus *isa_bus, qemu_irq *i8259_irqs);
 #define TYPE_PORT92 "port92"
 
 /* pc_sysfw.c */
-void pc_system_flash_create(PCMachineState *pcms);
-void pc_system_flash_cleanup_unused(PCMachineState *pcms);
 void pc_system_firmware_init(PCMachineState *pcms, MemoryRegion *rom_memory);
 bool pc_system_ovmf_table_find(const char *entry, uint8_t **data,
                                int *data_len);