diff --git a/cpu.c b/cpu.c
index 016bf06a1a..3ea38aea70 100644
--- a/cpu.c
+++ b/cpu.c
@@ -196,13 +196,33 @@ static Property cpu_common_props[] = {
     DEFINE_PROP_LINK("memory", CPUState, memory, TYPE_MEMORY_REGION,
                      MemoryRegion *),
 #endif
-    DEFINE_PROP_BOOL("start-powered-off", CPUState, start_powered_off, false),
     DEFINE_PROP_END_OF_LIST(),
 };
 
+static bool cpu_get_start_powered_off(Object *obj, Error **errp)
+{
+    CPUState *cpu = CPU(obj);
+    return cpu->start_powered_off;
+}
+
+static void cpu_set_start_powered_off(Object *obj, bool value, Error **errp)
+{
+    CPUState *cpu = CPU(obj);
+    cpu->start_powered_off = value;
+}
+
 void cpu_class_init_props(DeviceClass *dc)
 {
+    ObjectClass *oc = OBJECT_CLASS(dc);
+
     device_class_set_props(dc, cpu_common_props);
+    /*
+     * We can't use DEFINE_PROP_BOOL in the Property array for this
+     * property, because we want this to be settable after realize.
+     */
+    object_class_property_add_bool(oc, "start-powered-off",
+                                   cpu_get_start_powered_off,
+                                   cpu_set_start_powered_off);
 }
 
 void cpu_exec_initfn(CPUState *cpu)