diff --git a/hw/arm/aspeed_soc_common.c b/hw/arm/aspeed_soc_common.c
index b66f769d18..828f61093b 100644
--- a/hw/arm/aspeed_soc_common.c
+++ b/hw/arm/aspeed_soc_common.c
@@ -114,6 +114,16 @@ void aspeed_mmio_map_unimplemented(AspeedSoCState *s, SysBusDevice *dev,
                                         sysbus_mmio_get_region(dev, 0), -1000);
 }
 
+static void aspeed_soc_realize(DeviceState *dev, Error **errp)
+{
+    AspeedSoCState *s = ASPEED_SOC(dev);
+
+    if (!s->memory) {
+        error_setg(errp, "'memory' link is not set");
+        return;
+    }
+}
+
 static Property aspeed_soc_properties[] = {
     DEFINE_PROP_LINK("dram", AspeedSoCState, dram_mr, TYPE_MEMORY_REGION,
                      MemoryRegion *),
@@ -126,6 +136,7 @@ static void aspeed_soc_class_init(ObjectClass *oc, void *data)
 {
     DeviceClass *dc = DEVICE_CLASS(oc);
 
+    dc->realize = aspeed_soc_realize;
     device_class_set_props(dc, aspeed_soc_properties);
 }