diff --git a/accel/kvm/kvm-all.c b/accel/kvm/kvm-all.c
index 6ebff6e5a6..423fb1936f 100644
--- a/accel/kvm/kvm-all.c
+++ b/accel/kvm/kvm-all.c
@@ -3395,12 +3395,6 @@ void kvm_remove_all_breakpoints(CPUState *cpu)
     }
 }
 
-#else /* !KVM_CAP_SET_GUEST_DEBUG */
-
-static int kvm_update_guest_debug(CPUState *cpu, unsigned long reinject_trap)
-{
-    return -EINVAL;
-}
 #endif /* !KVM_CAP_SET_GUEST_DEBUG */
 
 static int kvm_set_signal_mask(CPUState *cpu, const sigset_t *sigset)
diff --git a/accel/stubs/kvm-stub.c b/accel/stubs/kvm-stub.c
index 2d79333143..5d2dd8f351 100644
--- a/accel/stubs/kvm-stub.c
+++ b/accel/stubs/kvm-stub.c
@@ -46,11 +46,6 @@ int kvm_has_many_ioeventfds(void)
     return 0;
 }
 
-int kvm_update_guest_debug(CPUState *cpu, unsigned long reinject_trap)
-{
-    return -ENOSYS;
-}
-
 int kvm_on_sigbus_vcpu(CPUState *cpu, int code, void *addr)
 {
     return 1;
diff --git a/include/sysemu/kvm.h b/include/sysemu/kvm.h
index 6e1bd01725..790d35ef78 100644
--- a/include/sysemu/kvm.h
+++ b/include/sysemu/kvm.h
@@ -247,7 +247,23 @@ int kvm_on_sigbus(int code, void *addr);
 
 void kvm_flush_coalesced_mmio_buffer(void);
 
+/**
+ * kvm_update_guest_debug(): ensure KVM debug structures updated
+ * @cs: the CPUState for this cpu
+ * @reinject_trap: KVM trap injection control
+ *
+ * There are usually per-arch specifics which will be handled by
+ * calling down to kvm_arch_update_guest_debug after the generic
+ * fields have been set.
+ */
+#ifdef KVM_CAP_SET_GUEST_DEBUG
 int kvm_update_guest_debug(CPUState *cpu, unsigned long reinject_trap);
+#else
+static inline int kvm_update_guest_debug(CPUState *cpu, unsigned long reinject_trap)
+{
+    return -EINVAL;
+}
+#endif
 
 /* internal API */