diff --git a/default-configs/arm-softmmu.mak b/default-configs/arm-softmmu.mak
index 7671ee278a..b00c2e150e 100644
--- a/default-configs/arm-softmmu.mak
+++ b/default-configs/arm-softmmu.mak
@@ -33,6 +33,7 @@ CONFIG_PFLASH_CFI01=y
 CONFIG_PFLASH_CFI02=y
 CONFIG_MICRODRIVE=y
 CONFIG_USB_MUSB=y
+CONFIG_USB_EHCI_SYSBUS=y
 
 CONFIG_ARM11MPCORE=y
 CONFIG_A9MPCORE=y
diff --git a/hw/ppc/mac_newworld.c b/hw/ppc/mac_newworld.c
index c3770121e2..624b4ab50b 100644
--- a/hw/ppc/mac_newworld.c
+++ b/hw/ppc/mac_newworld.c
@@ -420,11 +420,14 @@ static void ppc_core99_init(MachineState *machine)
 
     if (machine->usb) {
         pci_create_simple(pci_bus, -1, "pci-ohci");
+
         /* U3 needs to use USB for input because Linux doesn't support via-cuda
         on PPC64 */
         if (machine_arch == ARCH_MAC99_U3) {
-            usbdevice_create("keyboard");
-            usbdevice_create("mouse");
+            USBBus *usb_bus = usb_bus_find(-1);
+
+            usb_create_simple(usb_bus, "usb-kbd");
+            usb_create_simple(usb_bus, "usb-mouse");
         }
     }
 
diff --git a/hw/ppc/spapr.c b/hw/ppc/spapr.c
index 812d03054d..a82a0f99b3 100644
--- a/hw/ppc/spapr.c
+++ b/hw/ppc/spapr.c
@@ -1533,9 +1533,12 @@ static void ppc_spapr_init(MachineState *machine)
 
     if (machine->usb) {
         pci_create_simple(phb->bus, -1, "pci-ohci");
+
         if (spapr->has_graphics) {
-            usbdevice_create("keyboard");
-            usbdevice_create("mouse");
+            USBBus *usb_bus = usb_bus_find(-1);
+
+            usb_create_simple(usb_bus, "usb-kbd");
+            usb_create_simple(usb_bus, "usb-mouse");
         }
     }
 
diff --git a/hw/sh4/r2d.c b/hw/sh4/r2d.c
index 12f44d28f0..d1d0847ba2 100644
--- a/hw/sh4/r2d.c
+++ b/hw/sh4/r2d.c
@@ -301,7 +301,7 @@ static void r2d_init(MachineState *machine)
                             "rtl8139", i==0 ? "2" : NULL);
 
     /* USB keyboard */
-    usbdevice_create("keyboard");
+    usb_create_simple(usb_bus_find(-1), "usb-kbd");
 
     /* Todo: register on board registers */
     memset(&boot_params, 0, sizeof(boot_params));
diff --git a/hw/usb/Makefile.objs b/hw/usb/Makefile.objs
index 3fe4dff3bd..0ccd477577 100644
--- a/hw/usb/Makefile.objs
+++ b/hw/usb/Makefile.objs
@@ -5,7 +5,8 @@ common-obj-y += libhw.o
 # usb host adapters
 common-obj-$(CONFIG_USB_UHCI) += hcd-uhci.o
 common-obj-$(CONFIG_USB_OHCI) += hcd-ohci.o
-common-obj-$(CONFIG_USB_EHCI) += hcd-ehci.o hcd-ehci-pci.o hcd-ehci-sysbus.o
+common-obj-$(CONFIG_USB_EHCI) += hcd-ehci.o hcd-ehci-pci.o
+common-obj-$(CONFIG_USB_EHCI_SYSBUS) += hcd-ehci-sysbus.o
 common-obj-$(CONFIG_USB_XHCI) += hcd-xhci.o
 common-obj-$(CONFIG_USB_MUSB) += hcd-musb.o
 
diff --git a/hw/usb/bus.c b/hw/usb/bus.c
index 986b2d8da8..d83a93887f 100644
--- a/hw/usb/bus.c
+++ b/hw/usb/bus.c
@@ -315,23 +315,33 @@ USBDevice *usb_create(USBBus *bus, const char *name)
     return USB_DEVICE(dev);
 }
 
-USBDevice *usb_create_simple(USBBus *bus, const char *name)
+static USBDevice *usb_try_create_simple(USBBus *bus, const char *name,
+                                        Error **errp)
 {
-    USBDevice *dev = usb_create(bus, name);
-    int rc;
+    Error *err = NULL;
+    USBDevice *dev;
 
+    dev = USB_DEVICE(qdev_try_create(&bus->qbus, name));
     if (!dev) {
-        error_report("Failed to create USB device '%s'", name);
+        error_setg(errp, "Failed to create USB device '%s'", name);
         return NULL;
     }
-    rc = qdev_init(&dev->qdev);
-    if (rc < 0) {
-        error_report("Failed to initialize USB device '%s'", name);
+    object_property_set_bool(OBJECT(dev), true, "realized", &err);
+    if (err) {
+        error_setg(errp, "Failed to initialize USB device '%s': %s",
+                   name, error_get_pretty(err));
+        error_free(err);
+        object_unparent(OBJECT(dev));
         return NULL;
     }
     return dev;
 }
 
+USBDevice *usb_create_simple(USBBus *bus, const char *name)
+{
+    return usb_try_create_simple(bus, name, &error_abort);
+}
+
 static void usb_fill_port(USBPort *port, void *opaque, int index,
                           USBPortOps *ops, int speedmask)
 {
@@ -416,17 +426,17 @@ void usb_claim_port(USBDevice *dev, Error **errp)
             }
         }
         if (port == NULL) {
-            error_setg(errp, "Error: usb port %s (bus %s) not found (in use?)",
+            error_setg(errp, "usb port %s (bus %s) not found (in use?)",
                        dev->port_path, bus->qbus.name);
             return;
         }
     } else {
         if (bus->nfree == 1 && strcmp(object_get_typename(OBJECT(dev)), "usb-hub") != 0) {
             /* Create a new hub and chain it on */
-            usb_create_simple(bus, "usb-hub");
+            usb_try_create_simple(bus, "usb-hub", NULL);
         }
         if (bus->nfree == 0) {
-            error_setg(errp, "Error: tried to attach usb device %s to a bus "
+            error_setg(errp, "tried to attach usb device %s to a bus "
                        "with no free ports", dev->product_desc);
             return;
         }
@@ -655,10 +665,12 @@ USBDevice *usbdevice_create(const char *cmdline)
 {
     USBBus *bus = usb_bus_find(-1 /* any */);
     LegacyUSBFactory *f = NULL;
+    Error *err = NULL;
     GSList *i;
     char driver[32];
     const char *params;
     int len;
+    USBDevice *dev;
 
     params = strchr(cmdline,':');
     if (params) {
@@ -693,14 +705,28 @@ USBDevice *usbdevice_create(const char *cmdline)
         return NULL;
     }
 
-    if (!f->usbdevice_init) {
+    if (f->usbdevice_init) {
+        dev = f->usbdevice_init(bus, params);
+    } else {
         if (*params) {
             error_report("usbdevice %s accepts no params", driver);
             return NULL;
         }
-        return usb_create_simple(bus, f->name);
+        dev = usb_create(bus, f->name);
     }
-    return f->usbdevice_init(bus, params);
+    if (!dev) {
+        error_report("Failed to create USB device '%s'", f->name);
+        return NULL;
+    }
+    object_property_set_bool(OBJECT(dev), true, "realized", &err);
+    if (err) {
+        error_report("Failed to initialize USB device '%s': %s",
+                     f->name, error_get_pretty(err));
+        error_free(err);
+        object_unparent(OBJECT(dev));
+        return NULL;
+    }
+    return dev;
 }
 
 static void usb_device_class_init(ObjectClass *klass, void *data)
diff --git a/hw/usb/dev-bluetooth.c b/hw/usb/dev-bluetooth.c
index 390d475c16..9bf673057a 100644
--- a/hw/usb/dev-bluetooth.c
+++ b/hw/usb/dev-bluetooth.c
@@ -530,21 +530,12 @@ static USBDevice *usb_bt_init(USBBus *bus, const char *cmdline)
     } else {
         hci = bt_new_hci(qemu_find_bt_vlan(0));
     }
-
     if (!hci)
         return NULL;
+
     dev = usb_create(bus, name);
-    if (!dev) {
-        error_report("Failed to create USB device '%s'", name);
-        return NULL;
-    }
     s = DO_UPCAST(struct USBBtState, dev, dev);
     s->hci = hci;
-    if (qdev_init(&dev->qdev) < 0) {
-        error_report("Failed to initialize USB device '%s'", name);
-        return NULL;
-    }
-
     return dev;
 }
 
diff --git a/hw/usb/dev-network.c b/hw/usb/dev-network.c
index 5b95d5c382..7131abdb21 100644
--- a/hw/usb/dev-network.c
+++ b/hw/usb/dev-network.c
@@ -1405,11 +1405,7 @@ static USBDevice *usb_net_init(USBBus *bus, const char *cmdline)
     }
 
     dev = usb_create(bus, "usb-net");
-    if (!dev) {
-        return NULL;
-    }
     qdev_set_nic_properties(&dev->qdev, &nd_table[idx]);
-    qdev_init_nofail(&dev->qdev);
     return dev;
 }
 
diff --git a/hw/usb/dev-serial.c b/hw/usb/dev-serial.c
index 1cee450259..67c2072ce7 100644
--- a/hw/usb/dev-serial.c
+++ b/hw/usb/dev-serial.c
@@ -544,16 +544,11 @@ static USBDevice *usb_serial_init(USBBus *bus, const char *filename)
         return NULL;
 
     dev = usb_create(bus, "usb-serial");
-    if (!dev) {
-        return NULL;
-    }
     qdev_prop_set_chr(&dev->qdev, "chardev", cdrv);
     if (vendorid)
         qdev_prop_set_uint16(&dev->qdev, "vendorid", vendorid);
     if (productid)
         qdev_prop_set_uint16(&dev->qdev, "productid", productid);
-    qdev_init_nofail(&dev->qdev);
-
     return dev;
 }
 
@@ -568,8 +563,6 @@ static USBDevice *usb_braille_init(USBBus *bus, const char *unused)
 
     dev = usb_create(bus, "usb-braille");
     qdev_prop_set_chr(&dev->qdev, "chardev", cdrv);
-    qdev_init_nofail(&dev->qdev);
-
     return dev;
 }
 
diff --git a/hw/usb/dev-storage.c b/hw/usb/dev-storage.c
index 4539733e42..af2e1b915d 100644
--- a/hw/usb/dev-storage.c
+++ b/hw/usb/dev-storage.c
@@ -706,17 +706,11 @@ static USBDevice *usb_msd_init(USBBus *bus, const char *filename)
 
     /* create guest device */
     dev = usb_create(bus, "usb-storage");
-    if (!dev) {
-        return NULL;
-    }
     if (qdev_prop_set_drive(&dev->qdev, "drive",
                             blk_by_legacy_dinfo(dinfo)) < 0) {
         object_unparent(OBJECT(dev));
         return NULL;
     }
-    if (qdev_init(&dev->qdev) < 0)
-        return NULL;
-
     return dev;
 }
 
diff --git a/hw/usb/host-legacy.c b/hw/usb/host-legacy.c
index 3cc9c4282c..422ed9a65f 100644
--- a/hw/usb/host-legacy.c
+++ b/hw/usb/host-legacy.c
@@ -128,7 +128,6 @@ USBDevice *usb_host_device_open(USBBus *bus, const char *devname)
     qdev_prop_set_uint32(&dev->qdev, "hostaddr",  filter.addr);
     qdev_prop_set_uint32(&dev->qdev, "vendorid",  filter.vendor_id);
     qdev_prop_set_uint32(&dev->qdev, "productid", filter.product_id);
-    qdev_init_nofail(&dev->qdev);
     return dev;
 
 fail: