diff --git a/hw/timer/stm32f2xx_timer.c b/hw/timer/stm32f2xx_timer.c
index fb370ce0f0..06ec8a02c2 100644
--- a/hw/timer/stm32f2xx_timer.c
+++ b/hw/timer/stm32f2xx_timer.c
@@ -314,7 +314,11 @@ static void stm32f2xx_timer_init(Object *obj)
     memory_region_init_io(&s->iomem, obj, &stm32f2xx_timer_ops, s,
                           "stm32f2xx_timer", 0x400);
     sysbus_init_mmio(SYS_BUS_DEVICE(obj), &s->iomem);
+}
 
+static void stm32f2xx_timer_realize(DeviceState *dev, Error **errp)
+{
+    STM32F2XXTimerState *s = STM32F2XXTIMER(dev);
     s->timer = timer_new_ns(QEMU_CLOCK_VIRTUAL, stm32f2xx_timer_interrupt, s);
 }
 
@@ -325,6 +329,7 @@ static void stm32f2xx_timer_class_init(ObjectClass *klass, void *data)
     dc->reset = stm32f2xx_timer_reset;
     device_class_set_props(dc, stm32f2xx_timer_properties);
     dc->vmsd = &vmstate_stm32f2xx_timer;
+    dc->realize = stm32f2xx_timer_realize;
 }
 
 static const TypeInfo stm32f2xx_timer_info = {