diff --git a/hw/pc.c b/hw/pc.c
index a02b397a24..4aca4986dd 100644
--- a/hw/pc.c
+++ b/hw/pc.c
@@ -71,8 +71,6 @@
 #define FW_CFG_E820_TABLE (FW_CFG_ARCH_LOCAL + 3)
 #define FW_CFG_HPET (FW_CFG_ARCH_LOCAL + 4)
 
-#define MSI_ADDR_BASE 0xfee00000
-
 #define E820_NR_ENTRIES		16
 
 struct e820_entry {
@@ -849,35 +847,6 @@ DeviceState *cpu_get_current_apic(void)
     }
 }
 
-static DeviceState *apic_init(void *env, uint8_t apic_id)
-{
-    DeviceState *dev;
-    static int apic_mapped;
-
-    if (kvm_irqchip_in_kernel()) {
-        dev = qdev_create(NULL, "kvm-apic");
-    } else if (xen_enabled()) {
-        dev = qdev_create(NULL, "xen-apic");
-    } else {
-        dev = qdev_create(NULL, "apic");
-    }
-
-    qdev_prop_set_uint8(dev, "id", apic_id);
-    qdev_prop_set_ptr(dev, "cpu_env", env);
-    qdev_init_nofail(dev);
-
-    /* XXX: mapping more APICs at the same memory location */
-    if (apic_mapped == 0) {
-        /* NOTE: the APIC is directly connected to the CPU - it is not
-           on the global memory bus. */
-        /* XXX: what if the base changes? */
-        sysbus_mmio_map(sysbus_from_qdev(dev), 0, MSI_ADDR_BASE);
-        apic_mapped = 1;
-    }
-
-    return dev;
-}
-
 void pc_acpi_smi_interrupt(void *opaque, int irq, int level)
 {
     CPUX86State *s = opaque;
@@ -887,24 +856,6 @@ void pc_acpi_smi_interrupt(void *opaque, int irq, int level)
     }
 }
 
-static X86CPU *pc_new_cpu(const char *cpu_model)
-{
-    X86CPU *cpu;
-    CPUX86State *env;
-
-    cpu = cpu_x86_init(cpu_model);
-    if (cpu == NULL) {
-        fprintf(stderr, "Unable to find x86 CPU definition\n");
-        exit(1);
-    }
-    env = &cpu->env;
-    if ((env->cpuid_features & CPUID_APIC) || smp_cpus > 1) {
-        env->apic_state = apic_init(env, env->cpuid_apic_id);
-    }
-    cpu_reset(CPU(cpu));
-    return cpu;
-}
-
 void pc_cpus_init(const char *cpu_model)
 {
     int i;
@@ -918,8 +869,11 @@ void pc_cpus_init(const char *cpu_model)
 #endif
     }
 
-    for(i = 0; i < smp_cpus; i++) {
-        pc_new_cpu(cpu_model);
+    for (i = 0; i < smp_cpus; i++) {
+        if (!cpu_x86_init(cpu_model)) {
+            fprintf(stderr, "Unable to find x86 CPU definition\n");
+            exit(1);
+        }
     }
 }
 
diff --git a/target-i386/cpu.c b/target-i386/cpu.c
index f3a31212eb..18b8549a6f 100644
--- a/target-i386/cpu.c
+++ b/target-i386/cpu.c
@@ -37,6 +37,12 @@
 #include <linux/kvm_para.h>
 #endif
 
+#include "sysemu.h"
+#ifndef CONFIG_USER_ONLY
+#include "hw/xen.h"
+#include "hw/sysbus.h"
+#endif
+
 /* feature flags taken from "Intel Processor Identification and the CPUID
  * Instruction" and AMD's "CPUID Specification".  In cases of disagreement
  * between feature naming conventions, aliases may be added.
@@ -1879,12 +1885,63 @@ static void mce_init(X86CPU *cpu)
     }
 }
 
+#define MSI_ADDR_BASE 0xfee00000
+
+#ifndef CONFIG_USER_ONLY
+static void x86_cpu_apic_init(X86CPU *cpu, Error **errp)
+{
+    static int apic_mapped;
+    CPUX86State *env = &cpu->env;
+    const char *apic_type = "apic";
+
+    if (kvm_irqchip_in_kernel()) {
+        apic_type = "kvm-apic";
+    } else if (xen_enabled()) {
+        apic_type = "xen-apic";
+    }
+
+    env->apic_state = qdev_try_create(NULL, apic_type);
+    if (env->apic_state == NULL) {
+        error_setg(errp, "APIC device '%s' could not be created", apic_type);
+        return;
+    }
+
+    object_property_add_child(OBJECT(cpu), "apic",
+                              OBJECT(env->apic_state), NULL);
+    qdev_prop_set_uint8(env->apic_state, "id", env->cpuid_apic_id);
+    /* TODO: convert to link<> */
+    qdev_prop_set_ptr(env->apic_state, "cpu_env", env);
+
+    if (qdev_init(env->apic_state)) {
+        error_setg(errp, "APIC device '%s' could not be initialized",
+                   object_get_typename(OBJECT(env->apic_state)));
+        return;
+    }
+
+    /* XXX: mapping more APICs at the same memory location */
+    if (apic_mapped == 0) {
+        /* NOTE: the APIC is directly connected to the CPU - it is not
+           on the global memory bus. */
+        /* XXX: what if the base changes? */
+        sysbus_mmio_map(sysbus_from_qdev(env->apic_state), 0, MSI_ADDR_BASE);
+        apic_mapped = 1;
+    }
+}
+#endif
+
 void x86_cpu_realize(Object *obj, Error **errp)
 {
     X86CPU *cpu = X86_CPU(obj);
 
 #ifndef CONFIG_USER_ONLY
     qemu_register_reset(x86_cpu_machine_reset_cb, cpu);
+
+    if (cpu->env.cpuid_features & CPUID_APIC || smp_cpus > 1) {
+        x86_cpu_apic_init(cpu, errp);
+        if (error_is_set(errp)) {
+            return;
+        }
+    }
 #endif
 
     mce_init(cpu);