diff --git a/hw/core/machine.c b/hw/core/machine.c
index 09aee4ea52..9b02fb2f5e 100644
--- a/hw/core/machine.c
+++ b/hw/core/machine.c
@@ -866,6 +866,12 @@ static void machine_class_init(ObjectClass *oc, void *data)
         machine_get_memory_encryption, machine_set_memory_encryption);
     object_class_property_set_description(oc, "memory-encryption",
         "Set memory encryption object to use");
+
+    object_class_property_add_str(oc, "memory-backend",
+                                  machine_get_memdev, machine_set_memdev);
+    object_class_property_set_description(oc, "memory-backend",
+                                          "Set RAM backend"
+                                          "Valid value is ID of hostmem based backend");
 }
 
 static void machine_class_base_init(ObjectClass *oc, void *data)
@@ -917,12 +923,6 @@ static void machine_initfn(Object *obj)
                                         "Table (HMAT)");
     }
 
-    object_property_add_str(obj, "memory-backend",
-                            machine_get_memdev, machine_set_memdev);
-    object_property_set_description(obj, "memory-backend",
-                                    "Set RAM backend"
-                                    "Valid value is ID of hostmem based backend");
-
     /* Register notifier when init is done for sysbus sanity checks */
     ms->sysbus_notifier.notify = machine_init_notify;
     qemu_add_machine_init_done_notifier(&ms->sysbus_notifier);