diff --git a/target/i386/kvm.c b/target/i386/kvm.c
index 0098be7015..69c691ad77 100644
--- a/target/i386/kvm.c
+++ b/target/i386/kvm.c
@@ -2114,6 +2114,11 @@ int kvm_arch_init(MachineState *ms, KVMState *s)
     int ret;
     struct utsname utsname;
 
+    if (!kvm_check_extension(s, KVM_CAP_IRQ_ROUTING)) {
+        error_report("kvm: KVM_CAP_IRQ_ROUTING not supported by KVM");
+        return -ENOTSUP;
+    }
+
     has_xsave = kvm_check_extension(s, KVM_CAP_XSAVE);
     has_xcrs = kvm_check_extension(s, KVM_CAP_XCRS);
     has_pit_state2 = kvm_check_extension(s, KVM_CAP_PIT_STATE2);