diff --git a/cpus.c b/cpus.c
index 24e6affbf7..c4b021dd2e 100644
--- a/cpus.c
+++ b/cpus.c
@@ -1175,18 +1175,6 @@ void set_numa_modes(void)
     }
 }
 
-void set_cpu_log(const char *optarg)
-{
-    int mask;
-
-    mask = qemu_str_to_log_mask(optarg);
-    if (!mask) {
-        qemu_print_log_usage(stdout);
-        exit(1);
-    }
-    qemu_set_log(mask);
-}
-
 void list_cpus(FILE *f, fprintf_function cpu_fprintf, const char *optarg)
 {
     /* XXX: implement xxx_cpu_list for targets that still miss it */
diff --git a/include/sysemu/cpus.h b/include/sysemu/cpus.h
index 60e44bb70c..6502488a05 100644
--- a/include/sysemu/cpus.h
+++ b/include/sysemu/cpus.h
@@ -24,7 +24,6 @@ extern int smp_threads;
 #endif
 
 void set_numa_modes(void);
-void set_cpu_log(const char *optarg);
 void list_cpus(FILE *f, fprintf_function cpu_fprintf, const char *optarg);
 
 #endif
diff --git a/vl.c b/vl.c
index f9f4dda2d7..c5b0eea29b 100644
--- a/vl.c
+++ b/vl.c
@@ -3864,10 +3864,17 @@ int main(int argc, char **argv, char **envp)
      * location or level of logging.
      */
     if (log_mask) {
+        int mask;
         if (log_file) {
             qemu_set_log_filename(log_file);
         }
-        set_cpu_log(log_mask);
+
+        mask = qemu_str_to_log_mask(log_mask);
+        if (!mask) {
+            qemu_print_log_usage(stdout);
+            exit(1);
+        }
+        qemu_set_log(mask);
     }
 
     if (!trace_backend_init(trace_events, trace_file)) {