diff --git a/hw/i386/intel_iommu.c b/hw/i386/intel_iommu.c
index 1a07faddb4..cf933189d3 100644
--- a/hw/i386/intel_iommu.c
+++ b/hw/i386/intel_iommu.c
@@ -4124,11 +4124,7 @@ static bool vtd_decide_config(IntelIOMMUState *s, Error **errp)
                                               ON_OFF_AUTO_ON : ON_OFF_AUTO_OFF;
     }
     if (s->intr_eim == ON_OFF_AUTO_ON && !s->buggy_eim) {
-        if (!kvm_irqchip_is_split()) {
-            error_setg(errp, "eim=on requires accel=kvm,kernel-irqchip=split");
-            return false;
-        }
-        if (kvm_enabled() && !kvm_enable_x2apic()) {
+        if (kvm_irqchip_is_split() && !kvm_enable_x2apic()) {
             error_setg(errp, "eim=on requires support on the KVM side"
                              "(X2APIC_API, first shipped in v4.7)");
             return false;