diff --git a/hw/ppc/spapr_drc.c b/hw/ppc/spapr_drc.c
index 317394027a..1f5f1d790a 100644
--- a/hw/ppc/spapr_drc.c
+++ b/hw/ppc/spapr_drc.c
@@ -364,7 +364,17 @@ static void attach(sPAPRDRConnector *drc, DeviceState *d, void *fdt,
     drc->fdt = fdt;
     drc->fdt_start_offset = fdt_start_offset;
     drc->configured = coldplug;
-    drc->signalled = coldplug;
+    /* 'logical' DR resources such as memory/cpus are in some cases treated
+     * as a pool of resources from which the guest is free to choose from
+     * based on only a count. for resources that can be assigned in this
+     * fashion, we must assume the resource is signalled immediately
+     * since a single hotplug request might make an arbitrary number of
+     * such attached resources available to the guest, as opposed to
+     * 'physical' DR resources such as PCI where each device/resource is
+     * signalled individually.
+     */
+    drc->signalled = (drc->type != SPAPR_DR_CONNECTOR_TYPE_PCI)
+                     ? true : coldplug;
 
     object_property_add_link(OBJECT(drc), "device",
                              object_get_typename(OBJECT(drc->dev)),
diff --git a/hw/ppc/spapr_events.c b/hw/ppc/spapr_events.c
index 269ab7e61c..049fb1b325 100644
--- a/hw/ppc/spapr_events.c
+++ b/hw/ppc/spapr_events.c
@@ -442,6 +442,9 @@ static void spapr_hotplug_req_event(uint8_t hp_id, uint8_t hp_action,
     switch (drc_type) {
     case SPAPR_DR_CONNECTOR_TYPE_PCI:
         hp->hotplug_type = RTAS_LOG_V6_HP_TYPE_PCI;
+        if (hp->hotplug_action == RTAS_LOG_V6_HP_ACTION_ADD) {
+            spapr_hotplug_set_signalled(drc);
+        }
         break;
     case SPAPR_DR_CONNECTOR_TYPE_LMB:
         hp->hotplug_type = RTAS_LOG_V6_HP_TYPE_MEMORY;
@@ -462,10 +465,6 @@ static void spapr_hotplug_req_event(uint8_t hp_id, uint8_t hp_action,
 
     rtas_event_log_queue(RTAS_LOG_TYPE_HOTPLUG, new_hp, true);
 
-    if (hp->hotplug_action == RTAS_LOG_V6_HP_ACTION_ADD) {
-        spapr_hotplug_set_signalled(drc);
-    }
-
     qemu_irq_pulse(xics_get_qirq(spapr->icp, spapr->check_exception_irq));
 }