diff --git a/hw/intc/arm_gicv3_its_kvm.c b/hw/intc/arm_gicv3_its_kvm.c
index 1f8991b8a6..39903d5eab 100644
--- a/hw/intc/arm_gicv3_its_kvm.c
+++ b/hw/intc/arm_gicv3_its_kvm.c
@@ -120,17 +120,6 @@ static void kvm_arm_its_realize(DeviceState *dev, Error **errp)
     qemu_add_vm_change_state_handler(vm_change_state_handler, s);
 }
 
-static void kvm_arm_its_init(Object *obj)
-{
-    GICv3ITSState *s = KVM_ARM_ITS(obj);
-
-    object_property_add_link(obj, "parent-gicv3",
-                             "kvm-arm-gicv3", (Object **)&s->gicv3,
-                             object_property_allow_set_link,
-                             OBJ_PROP_LINK_UNREF_ON_RELEASE,
-                             &error_abort);
-}
-
 /**
  * kvm_arm_its_pre_save - handles the saving of ITS registers.
  * ITS tables are flushed into guest RAM separately and earlier,
@@ -205,12 +194,19 @@ static void kvm_arm_its_post_load(GICv3ITSState *s)
                       GITS_CTLR, &s->ctlr, true, &error_abort);
 }
 
+static Property kvm_arm_its_props[] = {
+    DEFINE_PROP_LINK("parent-gicv3", GICv3ITSState, gicv3, "kvm-arm-gicv3",
+                     GICv3State *),
+    DEFINE_PROP_END_OF_LIST(),
+};
+
 static void kvm_arm_its_class_init(ObjectClass *klass, void *data)
 {
     DeviceClass *dc = DEVICE_CLASS(klass);
     GICv3ITSCommonClass *icc = ARM_GICV3_ITS_COMMON_CLASS(klass);
 
     dc->realize = kvm_arm_its_realize;
+    dc->props   = kvm_arm_its_props;
     icc->send_msi = kvm_its_send_msi;
     icc->pre_save = kvm_arm_its_pre_save;
     icc->post_load = kvm_arm_its_post_load;
@@ -220,7 +216,6 @@ static const TypeInfo kvm_arm_its_info = {
     .name = TYPE_KVM_ARM_ITS,
     .parent = TYPE_ARM_GICV3_ITS_COMMON,
     .instance_size = sizeof(GICv3ITSState),
-    .instance_init = kvm_arm_its_init,
     .class_init = kvm_arm_its_class_init,
 };