diff --git a/hw/s390x/s390-pci-bus.c b/hw/s390x/s390-pci-bus.c
index e8e41c8a9a..52820894fa 100644
--- a/hw/s390x/s390-pci-bus.c
+++ b/hw/s390x/s390-pci-bus.c
@@ -900,6 +900,7 @@ static void s390_pcihost_realize(DeviceState *dev, Error **errp)
     s390_pci_init_default_group();
     css_register_io_adapters(CSS_IO_ADAPTER_PCI, true, false,
                              S390_ADAPTER_SUPPRESSIBLE, errp);
+    s390_pcihost_kvm_realize();
 }
 
 static void s390_pcihost_unrealize(DeviceState *dev)
diff --git a/include/hw/s390x/s390-pci-kvm.h b/include/hw/s390x/s390-pci-kvm.h
index 933814a402..c33f2833a3 100644
--- a/include/hw/s390x/s390-pci-kvm.h
+++ b/include/hw/s390x/s390-pci-kvm.h
@@ -14,12 +14,19 @@
 
 #include "hw/s390x/s390-pci-bus.h"
 #include "hw/s390x/s390-pci-inst.h"
+#include "system/kvm.h"
 
 #ifdef CONFIG_KVM
+static inline void s390_pcihost_kvm_realize(void)
+{
+    kvm_msi_via_irqfd_allowed = kvm_irqfds_enabled();
+}
+
 bool s390_pci_kvm_interp_allowed(void);
 int s390_pci_kvm_aif_enable(S390PCIBusDevice *pbdev, ZpciFib *fib, bool assist);
 int s390_pci_kvm_aif_disable(S390PCIBusDevice *pbdev);
 #else
+static inline void s390_pcihost_kvm_realize(void) {}
 static inline bool s390_pci_kvm_interp_allowed(void)
 {
     return false;