diff --git a/hw/arm/virt.c b/hw/arm/virt.c
index 0c270b8919..5f62a0321e 100644
--- a/hw/arm/virt.c
+++ b/hw/arm/virt.c
@@ -535,7 +535,6 @@ static void create_v2m(VirtMachineState *vms, qemu_irq *pic)
 static void create_gic(VirtMachineState *vms, qemu_irq *pic)
 {
     /* We create a standalone GIC */
-    VirtMachineClass *vmc = VIRT_MACHINE_GET_CLASS(vms);
     DeviceState *gicdev;
     SysBusDevice *gicbusdev;
     const char *gictype;
@@ -605,7 +604,7 @@ static void create_gic(VirtMachineState *vms, qemu_irq *pic)
 
     fdt_add_gic_node(vms);
 
-    if (type == 3 && !vmc->no_its) {
+    if (type == 3 && vms->its) {
         create_its(vms, gicdev);
     } else if (type == 2) {
         create_v2m(vms, pic);
@@ -1481,6 +1480,20 @@ static void virt_set_highmem(Object *obj, bool value, Error **errp)
     vms->highmem = value;
 }
 
+static bool virt_get_its(Object *obj, Error **errp)
+{
+    VirtMachineState *vms = VIRT_MACHINE(obj);
+
+    return vms->its;
+}
+
+static void virt_set_its(Object *obj, bool value, Error **errp)
+{
+    VirtMachineState *vms = VIRT_MACHINE(obj);
+
+    vms->its = value;
+}
+
 static char *virt_get_gic_version(Object *obj, Error **errp)
 {
     VirtMachineState *vms = VIRT_MACHINE(obj);
@@ -1541,6 +1554,7 @@ type_init(machvirt_machine_init);
 static void virt_2_9_instance_init(Object *obj)
 {
     VirtMachineState *vms = VIRT_MACHINE(obj);
+    VirtMachineClass *vmc = VIRT_MACHINE_GET_CLASS(vms);
 
     /* EL3 is disabled by default on virt: this makes us consistent
      * between KVM and TCG for this board, and it also allows us to
@@ -1580,6 +1594,19 @@ static void virt_2_9_instance_init(Object *obj)
                                     "Set GIC version. "
                                     "Valid values are 2, 3 and host", NULL);
 
+    if (vmc->no_its) {
+        vms->its = false;
+    } else {
+        /* Default allows ITS instantiation */
+        vms->its = true;
+        object_property_add_bool(obj, "its", virt_get_its,
+                                 virt_set_its, NULL);
+        object_property_set_description(obj, "its",
+                                        "Set on/off to enable/disable "
+                                        "ITS instantiation",
+                                        NULL);
+    }
+
     vms->memmap = a15memmap;
     vms->irqmap = a15irqmap;
 }
diff --git a/include/hw/arm/virt.h b/include/hw/arm/virt.h
index 58ce74e0e5..33b0ff3892 100644
--- a/include/hw/arm/virt.h
+++ b/include/hw/arm/virt.h
@@ -93,6 +93,7 @@ typedef struct {
     FWCfgState *fw_cfg;
     bool secure;
     bool highmem;
+    bool its;
     bool virt;
     int32_t gic_version;
     struct arm_boot_info bootinfo;