diff --git a/hw/mips/addr.c b/hw/mips/addr.c
index e4e86b4a75..4da46e1731 100644
--- a/hw/mips/addr.c
+++ b/hw/mips/addr.c
@@ -24,6 +24,8 @@
 #include "hw/hw.h"
 #include "hw/mips/cpudevs.h"
 
+static int mips_um_ksegs;
+
 uint64_t cpu_mips_kseg0_to_phys(void *opaque, uint64_t addr)
 {
     return addr & 0x1fffffffll;
@@ -38,3 +40,13 @@ uint64_t cpu_mips_kvm_um_phys_to_kseg0(void *opaque, uint64_t addr)
 {
     return addr | 0x40000000ll;
 }
+
+bool mips_um_ksegs_enabled(void)
+{
+    return mips_um_ksegs;
+}
+
+void mips_um_ksegs_enable(void)
+{
+    mips_um_ksegs = 1;
+}
diff --git a/hw/mips/mips_malta.c b/hw/mips/mips_malta.c
index 9dcec27304..af678f5784 100644
--- a/hw/mips/mips_malta.c
+++ b/hw/mips/mips_malta.c
@@ -818,23 +818,20 @@ static int64_t load_kernel (void)
         exit(1);
     }
 
-    /* Sanity check where the kernel has been linked */
-    if (kvm_enabled()) {
-        if (kernel_entry & 0x80000000ll) {
+    /* Check where the kernel has been linked */
+    if (kernel_entry & 0x80000000ll) {
+        if (kvm_enabled()) {
             error_report("KVM guest kernels must be linked in useg. "
                          "Did you forget to enable CONFIG_KVM_GUEST?");
             exit(1);
         }
 
-        xlate_to_kseg0 = cpu_mips_kvm_um_phys_to_kseg0;
-    } else {
-        if (!(kernel_entry & 0x80000000ll)) {
-            error_report("KVM guest kernels aren't supported with TCG. "
-                         "Did you unintentionally enable CONFIG_KVM_GUEST?");
-            exit(1);
-        }
-
         xlate_to_kseg0 = cpu_mips_phys_to_kseg0;
+    } else {
+        /* if kernel entry is in useg it is probably a KVM T&E kernel */
+        mips_um_ksegs_enable();
+
+        xlate_to_kseg0 = cpu_mips_kvm_um_phys_to_kseg0;
     }
 
     /* load initrd */
diff --git a/include/hw/mips/cpudevs.h b/include/hw/mips/cpudevs.h
index 698339b83e..291f59281a 100644
--- a/include/hw/mips/cpudevs.h
+++ b/include/hw/mips/cpudevs.h
@@ -5,11 +5,12 @@
 
 /* Definitions for MIPS CPU internal devices.  */
 
-/* mips_addr.c */
+/* addr.c */
 uint64_t cpu_mips_kseg0_to_phys(void *opaque, uint64_t addr);
 uint64_t cpu_mips_phys_to_kseg0(void *opaque, uint64_t addr);
 uint64_t cpu_mips_kvm_um_phys_to_kseg0(void *opaque, uint64_t addr);
-
+bool mips_um_ksegs_enabled(void);
+void mips_um_ksegs_enable(void);
 
 /* mips_int.c */
 void cpu_mips_irq_init_cpu(MIPSCPU *cpu);
diff --git a/target/mips/helper.c b/target/mips/helper.c
index 05883b9f42..ca39aca08a 100644
--- a/target/mips/helper.c
+++ b/target/mips/helper.c
@@ -19,10 +19,10 @@
 #include "qemu/osdep.h"
 
 #include "cpu.h"
-#include "sysemu/kvm.h"
 #include "exec/exec-all.h"
 #include "exec/cpu_ldst.h"
 #include "exec/log.h"
+#include "hw/mips/cpudevs.h"
 
 enum {
     TLBRET_XI = -6,
@@ -225,7 +225,7 @@ static int get_physical_address (CPUMIPSState *env, hwaddr *physical,
 #define KVM_KSEG0_BASE  ((target_ulong)(int32_t)0x40000000UL)
 #define KVM_KSEG2_BASE  ((target_ulong)(int32_t)0x60000000UL)
 
-    if (kvm_enabled()) {
+    if (mips_um_ksegs_enabled()) {
         /* KVM T&E adds guest kernel segments in useg */
         if (real_address >= KVM_KSEG0_BASE) {
             if (real_address < KVM_KSEG2_BASE) {
diff --git a/target/mips/translate.c b/target/mips/translate.c
index 0bca700fb3..88f518b43c 100644
--- a/target/mips/translate.c
+++ b/target/mips/translate.c
@@ -27,10 +27,10 @@
 #include "exec/exec-all.h"
 #include "tcg-op.h"
 #include "exec/cpu_ldst.h"
+#include "hw/mips/cpudevs.h"
 
 #include "exec/helper-proto.h"
 #include "exec/helper-gen.h"
-#include "sysemu/kvm.h"
 #include "exec/semihost.h"
 
 #include "target/mips/trace.h"
@@ -20635,7 +20635,7 @@ void cpu_state_reset(CPUMIPSState *env)
     env->CP0_Wired = 0;
     env->CP0_GlobalNumber = (cs->cpu_index & 0xFF) << CP0GN_VPId;
     env->CP0_EBase = (cs->cpu_index & 0x3FF);
-    if (kvm_enabled()) {
+    if (mips_um_ksegs_enabled()) {
         env->CP0_EBase |= 0x40000000;
     } else {
         env->CP0_EBase |= (int32_t)0x80000000;