diff --git a/cpus.c b/cpus.c
index 0f7d0eaf36..2a0e133d39 100644
--- a/cpus.c
+++ b/cpus.c
@@ -493,13 +493,17 @@ static const VMStateDescription vmstate_timers = {
     }
 };
 
+void cpu_ticks_init(void)
+{
+    seqlock_init(&timers_state.vm_clock_seqlock, NULL);
+    vmstate_register(NULL, 0, &vmstate_timers, &timers_state);
+}
+
 void configure_icount(QemuOpts *opts, Error **errp)
 {
     const char *option;
     char *rem_str = NULL;
 
-    seqlock_init(&timers_state.vm_clock_seqlock, NULL);
-    vmstate_register(NULL, 0, &vmstate_timers, &timers_state);
     option = qemu_opt_get(opts, "shift");
     if (!option) {
         if (qemu_opt_get(opts, "align") != NULL) {
diff --git a/include/qemu-common.h b/include/qemu-common.h
index bcf7a6ad43..dcb57ab4b9 100644
--- a/include/qemu-common.h
+++ b/include/qemu-common.h
@@ -105,6 +105,8 @@ static inline char *realpath(const char *path, char *resolved_path)
 }
 #endif
 
+void cpu_ticks_init(void);
+
 /* icount */
 void configure_icount(QemuOpts *opts, Error **errp);
 extern int use_icount;
diff --git a/vl.c b/vl.c
index 15aea95c57..5db0d08496 100644
--- a/vl.c
+++ b/vl.c
@@ -4334,6 +4334,7 @@ int main(int argc, char **argv, char **envp)
     qemu_spice_init();
 #endif
 
+    cpu_ticks_init();
     if (icount_opts) {
         if (kvm_enabled() || xen_enabled()) {
             fprintf(stderr, "-icount is not allowed with kvm or xen\n");