diff --git a/hw/net/xilinx_ethlite.c b/hw/net/xilinx_ethlite.c
index 6cbd95dde2..5a434f642d 100644
--- a/hw/net/xilinx_ethlite.c
+++ b/hw/net/xilinx_ethlite.c
@@ -226,22 +226,25 @@ static NetClientInfo net_xilinx_ethlite_info = {
     .cleanup = eth_cleanup,
 };
 
-static int xilinx_ethlite_init(SysBusDevice *sbd)
+static void xilinx_ethlite_realize(DeviceState *dev, Error **errp)
 {
-    DeviceState *dev = DEVICE(sbd);
     struct xlx_ethlite *s = XILINX_ETHLITE(dev);
 
-    sysbus_init_irq(sbd, &s->irq);
-
-    memory_region_init_io(&s->mmio, OBJECT(s), &eth_ops, s,
-                          "xlnx.xps-ethernetlite", R_MAX * 4);
-    sysbus_init_mmio(sbd, &s->mmio);
-
     qemu_macaddr_default_if_unset(&s->conf.macaddr);
     s->nic = qemu_new_nic(&net_xilinx_ethlite_info, &s->conf,
                           object_get_typename(OBJECT(dev)), dev->id, s);
     qemu_format_nic_info_str(qemu_get_queue(s->nic), s->conf.macaddr.a);
-    return 0;
+}
+
+static void xilinx_ethlite_init(Object *obj)
+{
+    struct xlx_ethlite *s = XILINX_ETHLITE(obj);
+
+    sysbus_init_irq(SYS_BUS_DEVICE(obj), &s->irq);
+
+    memory_region_init_io(&s->mmio, obj, &eth_ops, s,
+                          "xlnx.xps-ethernetlite", R_MAX * 4);
+    sysbus_init_mmio(SYS_BUS_DEVICE(obj), &s->mmio);
 }
 
 static Property xilinx_ethlite_properties[] = {
@@ -254,9 +257,8 @@ static Property xilinx_ethlite_properties[] = {
 static void xilinx_ethlite_class_init(ObjectClass *klass, void *data)
 {
     DeviceClass *dc = DEVICE_CLASS(klass);
-    SysBusDeviceClass *k = SYS_BUS_DEVICE_CLASS(klass);
 
-    k->init = xilinx_ethlite_init;
+    dc->realize = xilinx_ethlite_realize;
     dc->reset = xilinx_ethlite_reset;
     dc->props = xilinx_ethlite_properties;
 }
@@ -265,6 +267,7 @@ static const TypeInfo xilinx_ethlite_info = {
     .name          = TYPE_XILINX_ETHLITE,
     .parent        = TYPE_SYS_BUS_DEVICE,
     .instance_size = sizeof(struct xlx_ethlite),
+    .instance_init = xilinx_ethlite_init,
     .class_init    = xilinx_ethlite_class_init,
 };