diff --git a/hw/arm/virt.c b/hw/arm/virt.c
index a5d3ad9bf9..7934b23651 100644
--- a/hw/arm/virt.c
+++ b/hw/arm/virt.c
@@ -1408,6 +1408,7 @@ static void create_pcie_irq_map(const MachineState *ms,
 static void create_smmu(const VirtMachineState *vms,
                         PCIBus *bus)
 {
+    VirtMachineClass *vmc = VIRT_MACHINE_GET_CLASS(vms);
     char *node;
     const char compat[] = "arm,smmu-v3";
     int irq =  vms->irqmap[VIRT_SMMU];
@@ -1424,6 +1425,9 @@ static void create_smmu(const VirtMachineState *vms,
 
     dev = qdev_new(TYPE_ARM_SMMUV3);
 
+    if (!vmc->no_nested_smmu) {
+        object_property_set_str(OBJECT(dev), "stage", "nested", &error_fatal);
+    }
     object_property_set_link(OBJECT(dev), "primary-bus", OBJECT(bus),
                              &error_abort);
     sysbus_realize_and_unref(SYS_BUS_DEVICE(dev), &error_fatal);
@@ -3308,8 +3312,12 @@ DEFINE_VIRT_MACHINE_AS_LATEST(9, 2)
 
 static void virt_machine_9_1_options(MachineClass *mc)
 {
+    VirtMachineClass *vmc = VIRT_MACHINE_CLASS(OBJECT_CLASS(mc));
+
     virt_machine_9_2_options(mc);
     compat_props_add(mc->compat_props, hw_compat_9_1, hw_compat_9_1_len);
+    /* 9.1 and earlier have only a stage-1 SMMU, not a nested s1+2 one */
+    vmc->no_nested_smmu = true;
 }
 DEFINE_VIRT_MACHINE(9, 1)
 
diff --git a/include/hw/arm/virt.h b/include/hw/arm/virt.h
index a4d937ed45..aca4f8061b 100644
--- a/include/hw/arm/virt.h
+++ b/include/hw/arm/virt.h
@@ -134,6 +134,7 @@ struct VirtMachineClass {
     bool no_cpu_topology;
     bool no_tcg_lpa2;
     bool no_ns_el2_virt_timer_irq;
+    bool no_nested_smmu;
 };
 
 struct VirtMachineState {