diff --git a/hw/core/irq.c b/hw/core/irq.c
index db95ffc18f..7d5b0038c1 100644
--- a/hw/core/irq.c
+++ b/hw/core/irq.c
@@ -34,13 +34,19 @@ void qemu_set_irq(qemu_irq irq, int level)
     irq->handler(irq->opaque, irq->n, level);
 }
 
+static void init_irq_fields(IRQState *irq, qemu_irq_handler handler,
+                            void *opaque, int n)
+{
+    irq->handler = handler;
+    irq->opaque = opaque;
+    irq->n = n;
+}
+
 void qemu_init_irq(IRQState *irq, qemu_irq_handler handler, void *opaque,
                    int n)
 {
     object_initialize(irq, sizeof(*irq), TYPE_IRQ);
-    irq->handler = handler;
-    irq->opaque = opaque;
-    irq->n = n;
+    init_irq_fields(irq, handler, opaque, n);
 }
 
 qemu_irq *qemu_extend_irqs(qemu_irq *old, int n_old, qemu_irq_handler handler,
@@ -66,11 +72,8 @@ qemu_irq *qemu_allocate_irqs(qemu_irq_handler handler, void *opaque, int n)
 
 qemu_irq qemu_allocate_irq(qemu_irq_handler handler, void *opaque, int n)
 {
-    IRQState *irq;
-
-    irq = g_new(IRQState, 1);
-    qemu_init_irq(irq, handler, opaque, n);
-
+    IRQState *irq = IRQ(object_new(TYPE_IRQ));
+    init_irq_fields(irq, handler, opaque, n);
     return irq;
 }