diff --git a/exec.c b/exec.c
index b3c080f731..01ac21e3cd 100644
--- a/exec.c
+++ b/exec.c
@@ -27,6 +27,7 @@
 #include "exec/target_page.h"
 #include "tcg.h"
 #include "hw/qdev-core.h"
+#include "hw/qdev-properties.h"
 #if !defined(CONFIG_USER_ONLY)
 #include "hw/boards.h"
 #include "hw/xen/xen.h"
@@ -737,6 +738,20 @@ void cpu_exec_unrealizefn(CPUState *cpu)
     }
 }
 
+Property cpu_common_props[] = {
+#ifndef CONFIG_USER_ONLY
+    /* Create a memory property for softmmu CPU object,
+     * so users can wire up its memory. (This can't go in qom/cpu.c
+     * because that file is compiled only once for both user-mode
+     * and system builds.) The default if no link is set up is to use
+     * the system address space.
+     */
+    DEFINE_PROP_LINK("memory", CPUState, memory, TYPE_MEMORY_REGION,
+                     MemoryRegion *),
+#endif
+    DEFINE_PROP_END_OF_LIST(),
+};
+
 void cpu_exec_initfn(CPUState *cpu)
 {
     cpu->as = NULL;
@@ -744,18 +759,6 @@ void cpu_exec_initfn(CPUState *cpu)
 
 #ifndef CONFIG_USER_ONLY
     cpu->thread_id = qemu_get_thread_id();
-
-    /* This is a softmmu CPU object, so create a property for it
-     * so users can wire up its memory. (This can't go in qom/cpu.c
-     * because that file is compiled only once for both user-mode
-     * and system builds.) The default if no link is set up is to use
-     * the system address space.
-     */
-    object_property_add_link(OBJECT(cpu), "memory", TYPE_MEMORY_REGION,
-                             (Object **)&cpu->memory,
-                             qdev_prop_allow_set_link_before_realize,
-                             OBJ_PROP_LINK_UNREF_ON_RELEASE,
-                             &error_abort);
     cpu->memory = system_memory;
     object_ref(OBJECT(cpu->memory));
 #endif
diff --git a/include/qom/cpu.h b/include/qom/cpu.h
index d3c783b4b5..04c31e63eb 100644
--- a/include/qom/cpu.h
+++ b/include/qom/cpu.h
@@ -1013,6 +1013,7 @@ AddressSpace *cpu_get_address_space(CPUState *cpu, int asidx);
 
 void QEMU_NORETURN cpu_abort(CPUState *cpu, const char *fmt, ...)
     GCC_FMT_ATTR(2, 3);
+extern Property cpu_common_props[];
 void cpu_exec_initfn(CPUState *cpu);
 void cpu_exec_realizefn(CPUState *cpu, Error **errp);
 void cpu_exec_unrealizefn(CPUState *cpu);
diff --git a/qom/cpu.c b/qom/cpu.c
index 8757f033a0..a39ff6c19c 100644
--- a/qom/cpu.c
+++ b/qom/cpu.c
@@ -458,6 +458,7 @@ static void cpu_class_init(ObjectClass *klass, void *data)
     set_bit(DEVICE_CATEGORY_CPU, dc->categories);
     dc->realize = cpu_common_realizefn;
     dc->unrealize = cpu_common_unrealizefn;
+    dc->props = cpu_common_props;
     /*
      * Reason: CPUs still need special care by board code: wiring up
      * IRQs, adding reset handlers, halting non-first CPUs, ...