diff --git a/vl.c b/vl.c
index 8d1846c06c..f2bd8d20fb 100644
--- a/vl.c
+++ b/vl.c
@@ -1223,7 +1223,13 @@ static void smp_parse(QemuOpts *opts)
             exit(1);
         }
 
-        max_cpus = qemu_opt_get_number(opts, "maxcpus", 0);
+        max_cpus = qemu_opt_get_number(opts, "maxcpus", cpus);
+        if (sockets * cores * threads > max_cpus) {
+            fprintf(stderr, "cpu topology: error: "
+                    "sockets (%u) * cores (%u) * threads (%u) > maxcpus (%u)\n",
+                    sockets, cores, threads, max_cpus);
+            exit(1);
+        }
 
         smp_cpus = cpus;
         smp_cores = cores > 0 ? cores : 1;