diff --git a/vl.c b/vl.c
index 12b19bce9c..8e5d9db3e2 100644
--- a/vl.c
+++ b/vl.c
@@ -5559,6 +5559,16 @@ int main(int argc, char **argv, char **envp)
         }
     }
 
+    if (kvm_enabled()) {
+        int ret;
+
+        ret = kvm_init(smp_cpus);
+        if (ret < 0) {
+            fprintf(stderr, "failed to initialize KVM\n");
+            exit(1);
+        }
+    }
+
     /* If no data_dir is specified then try to find it relative to the
        executable path.  */
     if (!data_dir) {
@@ -5793,16 +5803,6 @@ int main(int argc, char **argv, char **envp)
         }
     }
 
-    if (kvm_enabled()) {
-        int ret;
-
-        ret = kvm_init(smp_cpus);
-        if (ret < 0) {
-            fprintf(stderr, "failed to initialize KVM\n");
-            exit(1);
-        }
-    }
-
     for (i = 0; i < MAX_MONITOR_DEVICES; i++) {
         const char *devname = monitor_devices[i];
         if (devname && strcmp(devname, "none")) {