diff --git a/target/i386/gdbstub.c b/target/i386/gdbstub.c
index 4ad1295425..098a2ad15a 100644
--- a/target/i386/gdbstub.c
+++ b/target/i386/gdbstub.c
@@ -351,22 +351,30 @@ int x86_cpu_gdb_write_register(CPUState *cs, uint8_t *mem_buf, int n)
 
         case IDX_CTL_CR0_REG:
             len = gdb_write_reg_cs64(env->hflags, mem_buf, &tmp);
+#ifndef CONFIG_USER_ONLY
             cpu_x86_update_cr0(env, tmp);
+#endif
             return len;
 
         case IDX_CTL_CR2_REG:
             len = gdb_write_reg_cs64(env->hflags, mem_buf, &tmp);
+#ifndef CONFIG_USER_ONLY
             env->cr[2] = tmp;
+#endif
             return len;
 
         case IDX_CTL_CR3_REG:
             len = gdb_write_reg_cs64(env->hflags, mem_buf, &tmp);
+#ifndef CONFIG_USER_ONLY
             cpu_x86_update_cr3(env, tmp);
+#endif
             return len;
 
         case IDX_CTL_CR4_REG:
             len = gdb_write_reg_cs64(env->hflags, mem_buf, &tmp);
+#ifndef CONFIG_USER_ONLY
             cpu_x86_update_cr4(env, tmp);
+#endif
             return len;
 
         case IDX_CTL_CR8_REG:
@@ -378,7 +386,9 @@ int x86_cpu_gdb_write_register(CPUState *cs, uint8_t *mem_buf, int n)
 
         case IDX_CTL_EFER_REG:
             len = gdb_write_reg_cs64(env->hflags, mem_buf, &tmp);
+#ifndef CONFIG_USER_ONLY
             cpu_load_efer(env, tmp);
+#endif
             return len;
         }
     }