diff --git a/target/s390x/cpu_models.c b/target/s390x/cpu_models.c
index 6d71428056..1a562d2801 100644
--- a/target/s390x/cpu_models.c
+++ b/target/s390x/cpu_models.c
@@ -89,7 +89,6 @@ static S390CPUDef s390_cpu_defs[] = {
 #define QEMU_MAX_CPU_TYPE 0x8561
 #define QEMU_MAX_CPU_GEN 15
 #define QEMU_MAX_CPU_EC_GA 1
-static const S390FeatInit qemu_max_cpu_feat_init = { S390_FEAT_LIST_QEMU_MAX };
 static S390FeatBitmap qemu_max_cpu_feat;
 
 /* features part of a base model but not relevant for finding a base model */
@@ -728,7 +727,6 @@ static void s390_cpu_model_initfn(Object *obj)
     }
 }
 
-static S390CPUDef s390_qemu_cpu_def;
 static S390CPUModel s390_qemu_cpu_model;
 
 /* Set the qemu CPU model (on machine initialization). Must not be called
@@ -742,17 +740,8 @@ void s390_set_qemu_cpu_model(uint16_t type, uint8_t gen, uint8_t ec_ga,
     g_assert(def);
     g_assert(QTAILQ_EMPTY_RCU(&cpus));
 
-    /* TCG emulates some features that can usually not be enabled with
-     * the emulated machine generation. Make sure they can be enabled
-     * when using the QEMU model by adding them to full_feat. We have
-     * to copy the definition to do that.
-     */
-    memcpy(&s390_qemu_cpu_def, def, sizeof(s390_qemu_cpu_def));
-    bitmap_or(s390_qemu_cpu_def.full_feat, s390_qemu_cpu_def.full_feat,
-              qemu_max_cpu_feat, S390_FEAT_MAX);
-
     /* build the CPU model */
-    s390_qemu_cpu_model.def = &s390_qemu_cpu_def;
+    s390_qemu_cpu_model.def = def;
     bitmap_zero(s390_qemu_cpu_model.features, S390_FEAT_MAX);
     s390_init_feat_bitmap(feat_init, s390_qemu_cpu_model.features);
 }
@@ -885,9 +874,8 @@ static void s390_max_cpu_model_class_init(ObjectClass *oc, void *data)
 
     /*
      * The "max" model is neither static nor migration safe. Under KVM
-     * it represents the "host" model. Under TCG it represents some kind of
-     * "qemu" CPU model without compat handling and maybe with some additional
-     * CPU features that are not yet unlocked in the "qemu" model.
+     * it represents the "host" model. Under TCG it represents the "qemu" CPU
+     * model of the latest QEMU machine.
      */
     xcc->desc =
         "Enables all features supported by the accelerator in the current host";
@@ -966,13 +954,13 @@ static void init_ignored_base_feat(void)
 
 static void register_types(void)
 {
-    static const S390FeatInit qemu_latest_init = { S390_FEAT_LIST_QEMU_LATEST };
+    static const S390FeatInit qemu_max_init = { S390_FEAT_LIST_QEMU_MAX };
     int i;
 
     init_ignored_base_feat();
 
     /* init all bitmaps from gnerated data initially */
-    s390_init_feat_bitmap(qemu_max_cpu_feat_init, qemu_max_cpu_feat);
+    s390_init_feat_bitmap(qemu_max_init, qemu_max_cpu_feat);
     for (i = 0; i < ARRAY_SIZE(s390_cpu_defs); i++) {
         s390_init_feat_bitmap(s390_cpu_defs[i].base_init,
                               s390_cpu_defs[i].base_feat);
@@ -982,9 +970,9 @@ static void register_types(void)
                               s390_cpu_defs[i].full_feat);
     }
 
-    /* initialize the qemu model with latest definition */
+    /* initialize the qemu model with the maximum definition ("max" model) */
     s390_set_qemu_cpu_model(QEMU_MAX_CPU_TYPE, QEMU_MAX_CPU_GEN,
-                            QEMU_MAX_CPU_EC_GA, qemu_latest_init);
+                            QEMU_MAX_CPU_EC_GA, qemu_max_init);
 
     for (i = 0; i < ARRAY_SIZE(s390_cpu_defs); i++) {
         char *base_name = s390_base_cpu_type_name(s390_cpu_defs[i].name);
diff --git a/target/s390x/gen-features.c b/target/s390x/gen-features.c
index 7b4430f9de..ec7d8ceab5 100644
--- a/target/s390x/gen-features.c
+++ b/target/s390x/gen-features.c
@@ -738,11 +738,13 @@ static uint16_t qemu_V6_2[] = {
     S390_FEAT_VECTOR_ENH,
 };
 
-static uint16_t qemu_LATEST[] = {
-    S390_FEAT_MISC_INSTRUCTION_EXT3,
-};
-/* add all new definitions before this point */
+/*
+ * Features for the "qemu" CPU model of the latest QEMU machine and the "max"
+ * CPU model under TCG. Don't include features that are not part of the full
+ * feature set of the current "max" CPU model generation.
+ */
 static uint16_t qemu_MAX[] = {
+    S390_FEAT_MISC_INSTRUCTION_EXT3,
 };
 
 /****** END FEATURE DEFS ******/
@@ -864,7 +866,6 @@ static FeatGroupDefSpec QemuFeatDef[] = {
     QEMU_FEAT_INITIALIZER(V4_1),
     QEMU_FEAT_INITIALIZER(V6_0),
     QEMU_FEAT_INITIALIZER(V6_2),
-    QEMU_FEAT_INITIALIZER(LATEST),
     QEMU_FEAT_INITIALIZER(MAX),
 };