diff --git a/target/arm/kvm.c b/target/arm/kvm.c
index b20a35052f..849e2e21b3 100644
--- a/target/arm/kvm.c
+++ b/target/arm/kvm.c
@@ -1888,13 +1888,8 @@ int kvm_arch_init_vcpu(CPUState *cs)
     if (!arm_feature(env, ARM_FEATURE_AARCH64)) {
         cpu->kvm_init_features[0] |= 1 << KVM_ARM_VCPU_EL1_32BIT;
     }
-    if (!kvm_check_extension(cs->kvm_state, KVM_CAP_ARM_PMU_V3)) {
-        cpu->has_pmu = false;
-    }
     if (cpu->has_pmu) {
         cpu->kvm_init_features[0] |= 1 << KVM_ARM_VCPU_PMU_V3;
-    } else {
-        env->features &= ~(1ULL << ARM_FEATURE_PMU);
     }
     if (cpu_isar_feature(aa64_sve, cpu)) {
         assert(kvm_arm_sve_supported());