diff --git a/docs/about/deprecated.rst b/docs/about/deprecated.rst
index c03fcf951f..ff7488cb63 100644
--- a/docs/about/deprecated.rst
+++ b/docs/about/deprecated.rst
@@ -192,6 +192,12 @@ as short-form boolean values, and passed to plugins as ``arg_name=on``.
 However, short-form booleans are deprecated and full explicit ``arg_name=on``
 form is preferred.
 
+``-drive if=none`` for the sifive_u OTP device (since 6.2)
+''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''
+
+Using ``-drive if=none`` to configure the OTP device of the sifive_u
+RISC-V machine is deprecated. Use ``-drive if=pflash`` instead.
+
 
 QEMU Machine Protocol (QMP) commands
 ------------------------------------
diff --git a/hw/misc/sifive_u_otp.c b/hw/misc/sifive_u_otp.c
index 18aa0bd55d..52fdb750c0 100644
--- a/hw/misc/sifive_u_otp.c
+++ b/hw/misc/sifive_u_otp.c
@@ -209,7 +209,14 @@ static void sifive_u_otp_realize(DeviceState *dev, Error **errp)
                           TYPE_SIFIVE_U_OTP, SIFIVE_U_OTP_REG_SIZE);
     sysbus_init_mmio(SYS_BUS_DEVICE(dev), &s->mmio);
 
-    dinfo = drive_get_next(IF_NONE);
+    dinfo = drive_get_next(IF_PFLASH);
+    if (!dinfo) {
+        dinfo = drive_get_next(IF_NONE);
+        if (dinfo) {
+            warn_report("using \"-drive if=none\" for the OTP is deprecated, "
+                        "use \"-drive if=pflash\" instead.");
+        }
+    }
     if (dinfo) {
         int ret;
         uint64_t perm;
@@ -235,14 +242,10 @@ static void sifive_u_otp_realize(DeviceState *dev, Error **errp)
 
             if (blk_pread(s->blk, 0, s->fuse, filesize) != filesize) {
                 error_setg(errp, "failed to read the initial flash content");
+                return;
             }
         }
     }
-}
-
-static void sifive_u_otp_reset(DeviceState *dev)
-{
-    SiFiveUOTPState *s = SIFIVE_U_OTP(dev);
 
     /* Initialize all fuses' initial value to 0xFFs */
     memset(s->fuse, 0xff, sizeof(s->fuse));
@@ -259,13 +262,15 @@ static void sifive_u_otp_reset(DeviceState *dev)
         serial_data = s->serial;
         if (blk_pwrite(s->blk, index * SIFIVE_U_OTP_FUSE_WORD,
                        &serial_data, SIFIVE_U_OTP_FUSE_WORD, 0) < 0) {
-            error_report("write error index<%d>", index);
+            error_setg(errp, "failed to write index<%d>", index);
+            return;
         }
 
         serial_data = ~(s->serial);
         if (blk_pwrite(s->blk, (index + 1) * SIFIVE_U_OTP_FUSE_WORD,
                        &serial_data, SIFIVE_U_OTP_FUSE_WORD, 0) < 0) {
-            error_report("write error index<%d>", index + 1);
+            error_setg(errp, "failed to write index<%d>", index + 1);
+            return;
         }
     }
 
@@ -279,7 +284,6 @@ static void sifive_u_otp_class_init(ObjectClass *klass, void *data)
 
     device_class_set_props(dc, sifive_u_otp_properties);
     dc->realize = sifive_u_otp_realize;
-    dc->reset = sifive_u_otp_reset;
 }
 
 static const TypeInfo sifive_u_otp_info = {