diff --git a/cpus.c b/cpus.c
index 86571f913c..20958e5a59 100644
--- a/cpus.c
+++ b/cpus.c
@@ -71,7 +71,7 @@ static bool cpu_thread_is_idle(CPUState *cpu)
         return true;
     }
     if (!cpu->halted || qemu_cpu_has_work(cpu) ||
-        kvm_async_interrupts_enabled()) {
+        kvm_halt_in_kernel()) {
         return false;
     }
     return true;
diff --git a/include/sysemu/kvm.h b/include/sysemu/kvm.h
index fe8bc4077c..24c8e9569c 100644
--- a/include/sysemu/kvm.h
+++ b/include/sysemu/kvm.h
@@ -42,6 +42,7 @@
 extern bool kvm_allowed;
 extern bool kvm_kernel_irqchip;
 extern bool kvm_async_interrupts_allowed;
+extern bool kvm_halt_in_kernel_allowed;
 extern bool kvm_irqfds_allowed;
 extern bool kvm_msi_via_irqfd_allowed;
 extern bool kvm_gsi_routing_allowed;
@@ -72,6 +73,14 @@ extern bool kvm_readonly_mem_allowed;
  */
 #define kvm_async_interrupts_enabled() (kvm_async_interrupts_allowed)
 
+/**
+ * kvm_halt_in_kernel
+ *
+ * Returns: true if halted cpus should still get a KVM_RUN ioctl to run
+ * inside of kernel space. This only works if MP state is implemented.
+ */
+#define kvm_halt_in_kernel() (kvm_halt_in_kernel_allowed)
+
 /**
  * kvm_irqfds_enabled:
  *
@@ -110,6 +119,7 @@ extern bool kvm_readonly_mem_allowed;
 #define kvm_enabled()           (0)
 #define kvm_irqchip_in_kernel() (false)
 #define kvm_async_interrupts_enabled() (false)
+#define kvm_halt_in_kernel() (false)
 #define kvm_irqfds_enabled() (false)
 #define kvm_msi_via_irqfd_enabled() (false)
 #define kvm_gsi_routing_allowed() (false)
diff --git a/kvm-all.c b/kvm-all.c
index 7a1684ed78..82ecebb784 100644
--- a/kvm-all.c
+++ b/kvm-all.c
@@ -107,6 +107,7 @@ struct KVMState
 KVMState *kvm_state;
 bool kvm_kernel_irqchip;
 bool kvm_async_interrupts_allowed;
+bool kvm_halt_in_kernel_allowed;
 bool kvm_irqfds_allowed;
 bool kvm_msi_via_irqfd_allowed;
 bool kvm_gsi_routing_allowed;
@@ -1303,6 +1304,7 @@ static int kvm_irqchip_create(KVMState *s)
      * interrupt delivery (though the reverse is not necessarily true)
      */
     kvm_async_interrupts_allowed = true;
+    kvm_halt_in_kernel_allowed = true;
 
     kvm_init_irq_routing(s);