diff --git a/hw/intc/xics_kvm.c b/hw/intc/xics_kvm.c
index a1f1b7b0d3..8d6156578f 100644
--- a/hw/intc/xics_kvm.c
+++ b/hw/intc/xics_kvm.c
@@ -165,8 +165,15 @@ void icp_kvm_realize(DeviceState *dev, Error **errp)
 
     ret = kvm_vcpu_enable_cap(cs, KVM_CAP_IRQ_XICS, 0, kernel_xics_fd, vcpu_id);
     if (ret < 0) {
-        error_setg(errp, "Unable to connect CPU%ld to kernel XICS: %s", vcpu_id,
-                   strerror(errno));
+        Error *local_err = NULL;
+
+        error_setg(&local_err, "Unable to connect CPU%ld to kernel XICS: %s",
+                   vcpu_id, strerror(errno));
+        if (errno == ENOSPC) {
+            error_append_hint(&local_err, "Try -smp maxcpus=N with N < %u\n",
+                              MACHINE(qdev_get_machine())->smp.max_cpus);
+        }
+        error_propagate(errp, local_err);
         return;
     }
     enabled_icp = g_malloc(sizeof(*enabled_icp));
@@ -399,6 +406,16 @@ int xics_kvm_connect(SpaprInterruptController *intc, uint32_t nr_servers,
         goto fail;
     }
 
+    /* Tell KVM about the # of VCPUs we may have (POWER9 and newer only) */
+    if (kvm_device_check_attr(rc, KVM_DEV_XICS_GRP_CTRL,
+                              KVM_DEV_XICS_NR_SERVERS)) {
+        if (kvm_device_access(rc, KVM_DEV_XICS_GRP_CTRL,
+                              KVM_DEV_XICS_NR_SERVERS, &nr_servers, true,
+                              &local_err)) {
+            goto fail;
+        }
+    }
+
     kernel_xics_fd = rc;
     kvm_kernel_irqchip = true;
     kvm_msi_via_irqfd_allowed = true;