diff --git a/hw/arm/armv7m.c b/hw/arm/armv7m.c
index 4c560dde56..b64a409b40 100644
--- a/hw/arm/armv7m.c
+++ b/hw/arm/armv7m.c
@@ -132,12 +132,6 @@ static void armv7m_instance_init(Object *obj)
 
     /* Can't init the cpu here, we don't yet know which model to use */
 
-    object_property_add_link(obj, "memory",
-                             TYPE_MEMORY_REGION,
-                             (Object **)&s->board_memory,
-                             qdev_prop_allow_set_link_before_realize,
-                             OBJ_PROP_LINK_UNREF_ON_RELEASE,
-                             &error_abort);
     memory_region_init(&s->container, obj, "armv7m-container", UINT64_MAX);
 
     object_initialize(&s->nvic, sizeof(s->nvic), TYPE_NVIC);
@@ -248,6 +242,8 @@ static void armv7m_realize(DeviceState *dev, Error **errp)
 
 static Property armv7m_properties[] = {
     DEFINE_PROP_STRING("cpu-model", ARMv7MState, cpu_model),
+    DEFINE_PROP_LINK("memory", ARMv7MState, board_memory, TYPE_MEMORY_REGION,
+                     MemoryRegion *),
     DEFINE_PROP_END_OF_LIST(),
 };