diff --git a/hw/arm/xlnx-zynqmp.c b/hw/arm/xlnx-zynqmp.c
index 965a250301..3a8af6a608 100644
--- a/hw/arm/xlnx-zynqmp.c
+++ b/hw/arm/xlnx-zynqmp.c
@@ -83,6 +83,41 @@ static inline int arm_gic_ppi_index(int cpu_nr, int ppi_index)
     return GIC_NUM_SPI_INTR + cpu_nr * GIC_INTERNAL + ppi_index;
 }
 
+static void xlnx_zynqmp_create_rpu(XlnxZynqMPState *s, const char *boot_cpu,
+                                   Error **errp)
+{
+    Error *err = NULL;
+    int i;
+
+    for (i = 0; i < XLNX_ZYNQMP_NUM_RPU_CPUS; i++) {
+        char *name;
+
+        object_initialize(&s->rpu_cpu[i], sizeof(s->rpu_cpu[i]),
+                          "cortex-r5-" TYPE_ARM_CPU);
+        object_property_add_child(OBJECT(s), "rpu-cpu[*]",
+                                  OBJECT(&s->rpu_cpu[i]), &error_abort);
+
+        name = object_get_canonical_path_component(OBJECT(&s->rpu_cpu[i]));
+        if (strcmp(name, boot_cpu)) {
+            /* Secondary CPUs start in PSCI powered-down state */
+            object_property_set_bool(OBJECT(&s->rpu_cpu[i]), true,
+                                     "start-powered-off", &error_abort);
+        } else {
+            s->boot_cpu_ptr = &s->rpu_cpu[i];
+        }
+        g_free(name);
+
+        object_property_set_bool(OBJECT(&s->rpu_cpu[i]), true, "reset-hivecs",
+                                 &error_abort);
+        object_property_set_bool(OBJECT(&s->rpu_cpu[i]), true, "realized",
+                                 &err);
+        if (err) {
+            error_propagate(errp, err);
+            return;
+        }
+    }
+}
+
 static void xlnx_zynqmp_init(Object *obj)
 {
     XlnxZynqMPState *s = XLNX_ZYNQMP(obj);
@@ -95,13 +130,6 @@ static void xlnx_zynqmp_init(Object *obj)
                                   &error_abort);
     }
 
-    for (i = 0; i < XLNX_ZYNQMP_NUM_RPU_CPUS; i++) {
-        object_initialize(&s->rpu_cpu[i], sizeof(s->rpu_cpu[i]),
-                          "cortex-r5-" TYPE_ARM_CPU);
-        object_property_add_child(obj, "rpu-cpu[*]", OBJECT(&s->rpu_cpu[i]),
-                                  &error_abort);
-    }
-
     object_property_add_link(obj, "ddr-ram", TYPE_MEMORY_REGION,
                              (Object **)&s->ddr_ram,
                              qdev_prop_allow_set_link_before_realize,
@@ -260,23 +288,8 @@ static void xlnx_zynqmp_realize(DeviceState *dev, Error **errp)
         qdev_connect_gpio_out(DEVICE(&s->apu_cpu[i]), 1, irq);
     }
 
-    for (i = 0; i < XLNX_ZYNQMP_NUM_RPU_CPUS; i++) {
-        char *name;
-
-        name = object_get_canonical_path_component(OBJECT(&s->rpu_cpu[i]));
-        if (strcmp(name, boot_cpu)) {
-            /* Secondary CPUs start in PSCI powered-down state */
-            object_property_set_bool(OBJECT(&s->rpu_cpu[i]), true,
-                                     "start-powered-off", &error_abort);
-        } else {
-            s->boot_cpu_ptr = &s->rpu_cpu[i];
-        }
-        g_free(name);
-
-        object_property_set_bool(OBJECT(&s->rpu_cpu[i]), true, "reset-hivecs",
-                                 &error_abort);
-        object_property_set_bool(OBJECT(&s->rpu_cpu[i]), true, "realized",
-                                 &err);
+    if (s->has_rpu) {
+        xlnx_zynqmp_create_rpu(s, boot_cpu, &err);
         if (err) {
             error_propagate(errp, err);
             return;
@@ -373,6 +386,7 @@ static void xlnx_zynqmp_realize(DeviceState *dev, Error **errp)
 static Property xlnx_zynqmp_props[] = {
     DEFINE_PROP_STRING("boot-cpu", XlnxZynqMPState, boot_cpu),
     DEFINE_PROP_BOOL("secure", XlnxZynqMPState, secure, false),
+    DEFINE_PROP_BOOL("has_rpu", XlnxZynqMPState, has_rpu, false),
     DEFINE_PROP_END_OF_LIST()
 };
 
diff --git a/include/hw/arm/xlnx-zynqmp.h b/include/hw/arm/xlnx-zynqmp.h
index 38d4c8cf42..68f6eb0c4d 100644
--- a/include/hw/arm/xlnx-zynqmp.h
+++ b/include/hw/arm/xlnx-zynqmp.h
@@ -87,6 +87,8 @@ typedef struct XlnxZynqMPState {
 
     /* Has the ARM Security extensions?  */
     bool secure;
+    /* Has the RPU subsystem?  */
+    bool has_rpu;
 }  XlnxZynqMPState;
 
 #define XLNX_ZYNQMP_H