diff --git a/hw/ppc/spapr_irq.c b/hw/ppc/spapr_irq.c
index 83882cfad3..249a2688ac 100644
--- a/hw/ppc/spapr_irq.c
+++ b/hw/ppc/spapr_irq.c
@@ -586,6 +586,7 @@ qemu_irq spapr_qirq(SpaprMachineState *spapr, int irq)
 
 int spapr_irq_post_load(SpaprMachineState *spapr, int version_id)
 {
+    spapr_irq_update_active_intc(spapr);
     return spapr->irq->post_load(spapr, version_id);
 }
 
@@ -593,6 +594,8 @@ void spapr_irq_reset(SpaprMachineState *spapr, Error **errp)
 {
     assert(!spapr->irq_map || bitmap_empty(spapr->irq_map, spapr->irq_map_nr));
 
+    spapr_irq_update_active_intc(spapr);
+
     if (spapr->irq->reset) {
         spapr->irq->reset(spapr, errp);
     }
@@ -619,6 +622,54 @@ int spapr_irq_get_phandle(SpaprMachineState *spapr, void *fdt, Error **errp)
     return phandle;
 }
 
+static void set_active_intc(SpaprMachineState *spapr,
+                            SpaprInterruptController *new_intc)
+{
+    SpaprInterruptControllerClass *sicc;
+
+    assert(new_intc);
+
+    if (new_intc == spapr->active_intc) {
+        /* Nothing to do */
+        return;
+    }
+
+    if (spapr->active_intc) {
+        sicc = SPAPR_INTC_GET_CLASS(spapr->active_intc);
+        if (sicc->deactivate) {
+            sicc->deactivate(spapr->active_intc);
+        }
+    }
+
+    sicc = SPAPR_INTC_GET_CLASS(new_intc);
+    if (sicc->activate) {
+        sicc->activate(new_intc, &error_fatal);
+    }
+
+    spapr->active_intc = new_intc;
+}
+
+void spapr_irq_update_active_intc(SpaprMachineState *spapr)
+{
+    SpaprInterruptController *new_intc;
+
+    if (!spapr->ics) {
+        /*
+         * XXX before we run CAS, ov5_cas is initialized empty, which
+         * indicates XICS, even if we have ic-mode=xive.  TODO: clean
+         * up the CAS path so that we have a clearer way of handling
+         * this.
+         */
+        new_intc = SPAPR_INTC(spapr->xive);
+    } else if (spapr_ovec_test(spapr->ov5_cas, OV5_XIVE_EXPLOIT)) {
+        new_intc = SPAPR_INTC(spapr->xive);
+    } else {
+        new_intc = SPAPR_INTC(spapr->ics);
+    }
+
+    set_active_intc(spapr, new_intc);
+}
+
 /*
  * XICS legacy routines - to deprecate one day
  */
diff --git a/include/hw/ppc/spapr.h b/include/hw/ppc/spapr.h
index 2009eb64f9..3b34cf5207 100644
--- a/include/hw/ppc/spapr.h
+++ b/include/hw/ppc/spapr.h
@@ -144,7 +144,6 @@ struct SpaprMachineState {
     struct SpaprVioBus *vio_bus;
     QLIST_HEAD(, SpaprPhbState) phbs;
     struct SpaprNvram *nvram;
-    ICSState *ics;
     SpaprRtcState rtc;
 
     SpaprResizeHpt resize_hpt;
@@ -196,9 +195,11 @@ struct SpaprMachineState {
 
     int32_t irq_map_nr;
     unsigned long *irq_map;
-    SpaprXive  *xive;
     SpaprIrq *irq;
     qemu_irq *qirqs;
+    SpaprInterruptController *active_intc;
+    ICSState *ics;
+    SpaprXive *xive;
 
     bool cmd_line_caps[SPAPR_CAP_NUM];
     SpaprCapabilities def, eff, mig;
diff --git a/include/hw/ppc/spapr_irq.h b/include/hw/ppc/spapr_irq.h
index adfef0fcbe..593059eff5 100644
--- a/include/hw/ppc/spapr_irq.h
+++ b/include/hw/ppc/spapr_irq.h
@@ -44,6 +44,9 @@ typedef struct SpaprInterruptController SpaprInterruptController;
 typedef struct SpaprInterruptControllerClass {
     InterfaceClass parent;
 
+    int (*activate)(SpaprInterruptController *intc, Error **errp);
+    void (*deactivate)(SpaprInterruptController *intc);
+
     /*
      * These methods will typically be called on all intcs, active and
      * inactive
@@ -55,6 +58,8 @@ typedef struct SpaprInterruptControllerClass {
     void (*free_irq)(SpaprInterruptController *intc, int irq);
 } SpaprInterruptControllerClass;
 
+void spapr_irq_update_active_intc(SpaprMachineState *spapr);
+
 int spapr_irq_cpu_intc_create(SpaprMachineState *spapr,
                               PowerPCCPU *cpu, Error **errp);