diff --git a/hw/arm/virt.c b/hw/arm/virt.c
index a193b5a95b..2ead58db8f 100644
--- a/hw/arm/virt.c
+++ b/hw/arm/virt.c
@@ -1479,7 +1479,7 @@ static void machvirt_machine_init(void)
 }
 type_init(machvirt_machine_init);
 
-static void virt_2_7_instance_init(Object *obj)
+static void virt_2_8_instance_init(Object *obj)
 {
     VirtMachineState *vms = VIRT_MACHINE(obj);
 
@@ -1512,10 +1512,25 @@ static void virt_2_7_instance_init(Object *obj)
                                     "Valid values are 2, 3 and host", NULL);
 }
 
-static void virt_machine_2_7_options(MachineClass *mc)
+static void virt_machine_2_8_options(MachineClass *mc)
 {
 }
-DEFINE_VIRT_MACHINE_AS_LATEST(2, 7)
+DEFINE_VIRT_MACHINE_AS_LATEST(2, 8)
+
+#define VIRT_COMPAT_2_7 \
+    HW_COMPAT_2_7
+
+static void virt_2_7_instance_init(Object *obj)
+{
+    virt_2_8_instance_init(obj);
+}
+
+static void virt_machine_2_7_options(MachineClass *mc)
+{
+    virt_machine_2_8_options(mc);
+    SET_MACHINE_COMPAT(mc, VIRT_COMPAT_2_7);
+}
+DEFINE_VIRT_MACHINE(2, 7)
 
 #define VIRT_COMPAT_2_6 \
     HW_COMPAT_2_6