diff --git a/hw/i386/microvm.c b/hw/i386/microvm.c
index a8d354aabe..ffb1b37fe5 100644
--- a/hw/i386/microvm.c
+++ b/hw/i386/microvm.c
@@ -458,7 +458,8 @@ static void microvm_machine_state_init(MachineState *machine)
 
     microvm_memory_init(mms);
 
-    x86_cpus_init(x86ms, CPU_VERSION_LATEST);
+    x86_cpu_uses_lastest_version();
+    x86_cpus_init(x86ms);
 
     microvm_devices_init(mms);
 }
diff --git a/hw/i386/pc.c b/hw/i386/pc.c
index b46975c8a4..f97a519573 100644
--- a/hw/i386/pc.c
+++ b/hw/i386/pc.c
@@ -30,6 +30,7 @@
 #include "hw/hyperv/hv-balloon.h"
 #include "hw/i386/fw_cfg.h"
 #include "hw/i386/vmport.h"
+#include "target/i386/cpu.h"
 #include "system/cpus.h"
 #include "hw/ide/ide-bus.h"
 #include "hw/timer/hpet.h"
@@ -615,6 +616,19 @@ void pc_acpi_smi_interrupt(void *opaque, int irq, int level)
     }
 }
 
+void pc_init_cpus(MachineState *ms)
+{
+    X86MachineState *x86ms = X86_MACHINE(ms);
+    PCMachineState *pcms = PC_MACHINE(ms);
+    PCMachineClass *pcmc = PC_MACHINE_GET_CLASS(pcms);
+
+    if (pcmc->no_versioned_cpu_model) {
+        /* use legacy cpu as it does not support versions */
+        x86_cpu_set_legacy_version();
+    }
+    x86_cpus_init(x86ms);
+}
+
 static
 void pc_machine_done(Notifier *notifier, void *data)
 {
diff --git a/hw/i386/pc_piix.c b/hw/i386/pc_piix.c
index 04d2957adc..dc684cb011 100644
--- a/hw/i386/pc_piix.c
+++ b/hw/i386/pc_piix.c
@@ -181,7 +181,8 @@ static void pc_init1(MachineState *machine, const char *pci_type)
     }
 
     pc_machine_init_sgx_epc(pcms);
-    x86_cpus_init(x86ms, pcmc->default_cpu_version);
+
+    pc_init_cpus(machine);
 
     if (kvm_enabled()) {
         kvmclock_create(pcmc->kvmclock_create_always);
@@ -457,7 +458,6 @@ static void pc_i440fx_machine_options(MachineClass *m)
     ObjectClass *oc = OBJECT_CLASS(m);
     pcmc->default_south_bridge = TYPE_PIIX3_DEVICE;
     pcmc->pci_root_uid = 0;
-    pcmc->default_cpu_version = 1;
 
     m->family = "pc_piix";
     m->desc = "Standard PC (i440FX + PIIX, 1996)";
@@ -669,7 +669,7 @@ static void pc_i440fx_machine_4_0_options(MachineClass *m)
 {
     PCMachineClass *pcmc = PC_MACHINE_CLASS(m);
     pc_i440fx_machine_4_1_options(m);
-    pcmc->default_cpu_version = CPU_VERSION_LEGACY;
+    pcmc->no_versioned_cpu_model = true;
     compat_props_add(m->compat_props, hw_compat_4_0, hw_compat_4_0_len);
     compat_props_add(m->compat_props, pc_compat_4_0, pc_compat_4_0_len);
 }
diff --git a/hw/i386/pc_q35.c b/hw/i386/pc_q35.c
index 77536dd697..045b05da64 100644
--- a/hw/i386/pc_q35.c
+++ b/hw/i386/pc_q35.c
@@ -187,7 +187,8 @@ static void pc_q35_init(MachineState *machine)
     }
 
     pc_machine_init_sgx_epc(pcms);
-    x86_cpus_init(x86ms, pcmc->default_cpu_version);
+
+    pc_init_cpus(machine);
 
     if (kvm_enabled()) {
         kvmclock_create(pcmc->kvmclock_create_always);
@@ -339,7 +340,6 @@ static void pc_q35_machine_options(MachineClass *m)
 {
     PCMachineClass *pcmc = PC_MACHINE_CLASS(m);
     pcmc->pci_root_uid = 0;
-    pcmc->default_cpu_version = 1;
 
     m->family = "pc_q35";
     m->desc = "Standard PC (Q35 + ICH9, 2009)";
@@ -547,7 +547,7 @@ static void pc_q35_machine_4_0_1_options(MachineClass *m)
 {
     PCMachineClass *pcmc = PC_MACHINE_CLASS(m);
     pc_q35_machine_4_1_options(m);
-    pcmc->default_cpu_version = CPU_VERSION_LEGACY;
+    pcmc->no_versioned_cpu_model = true;
     /*
      * This is the default machine for the 4.0-stable branch. It is basically
      * a 4.0 that doesn't use split irqchip by default. It MUST hence apply the
diff --git a/hw/i386/x86-common.c b/hw/i386/x86-common.c
index 008496b5b8..1ed5bc6010 100644
--- a/hw/i386/x86-common.c
+++ b/hw/i386/x86-common.c
@@ -66,15 +66,13 @@ out:
     object_unref(cpu);
 }
 
-void x86_cpus_init(X86MachineState *x86ms, int default_cpu_version)
+void x86_cpus_init(X86MachineState *x86ms)
 {
     int i;
     const CPUArchIdList *possible_cpus;
     MachineState *ms = MACHINE(x86ms);
     MachineClass *mc = MACHINE_GET_CLASS(x86ms);
 
-    x86_cpu_set_default_version(default_cpu_version);
-
     /*
      * Calculates the limit to CPU APIC ID values
      *
diff --git a/include/hw/i386/pc.h b/include/hw/i386/pc.h
index a558705cb9..563f765d7f 100644
--- a/include/hw/i386/pc.h
+++ b/include/hw/i386/pc.h
@@ -92,9 +92,6 @@ struct PCMachineClass {
 
     /* Compat options: */
 
-    /* Default CPU model version.  See x86_cpu_set_default_version(). */
-    int default_cpu_version;
-
     /* ACPI compat: */
     bool has_acpi_build;
     int pci_root_uid;
@@ -125,6 +122,9 @@ struct PCMachineClass {
      * check for memory.
      */
     bool broken_32bit_mem_addr_check;
+
+    /* whether the machine supports versioned cpu models */
+    bool no_versioned_cpu_model;
 };
 
 #define TYPE_PC_MACHINE "generic-pc-machine"
@@ -136,6 +136,7 @@ GSIState *pc_gsi_create(qemu_irq **irqs, bool pci_enabled);
 
 /* pc.c */
 
+void pc_init_cpus(MachineState *ms);
 void pc_acpi_smi_interrupt(void *opaque, int irq, int level);
 
 #define PCI_HOST_PROP_RAM_MEM          "ram-mem"
diff --git a/include/hw/i386/x86.h b/include/hw/i386/x86.h
index d43cb3908e..2d2b987fa1 100644
--- a/include/hw/i386/x86.h
+++ b/include/hw/i386/x86.h
@@ -114,7 +114,7 @@ void init_topo_info(X86CPUTopoInfo *topo_info, const X86MachineState *x86ms);
 uint32_t x86_cpu_apic_id_from_index(X86MachineState *x86ms,
                                     unsigned int cpu_index);
 
-void x86_cpus_init(X86MachineState *pcms, int default_cpu_version);
+void x86_cpus_init(X86MachineState *pcms);
 void x86_rtc_set_cpus_count(ISADevice *rtc, uint16_t cpus_count);
 void x86_cpu_pre_plug(HotplugHandler *hotplug_dev,
                       DeviceState *dev, Error **errp);
diff --git a/target/i386/cpu.c b/target/i386/cpu.c
index 1b9c11022c..c1f868c4dd 100644
--- a/target/i386/cpu.c
+++ b/target/i386/cpu.c
@@ -192,6 +192,9 @@ struct CPUID2CacheDescriptorInfo cpuid2_cache_descriptors[] = {
  */
 #define CACHE_DESCRIPTOR_UNAVAILABLE 0xFF
 
+/* default cpu version to use */
+#define DEFAULT_CPU_VERSION 1
+
 /*
  * Return a CPUID 2 cache descriptor for a given cache.
  * If no known descriptor is found, return CACHE_DESCRIPTOR_UNAVAILABLE
@@ -5343,20 +5346,16 @@ static const X86CPUDefinition builtin_x86_defs[] = {
     },
 };
 
-/*
- * We resolve CPU model aliases using -v1 when using "-machine
- * none", but this is just for compatibility while libvirt isn't
- * adapted to resolve CPU model versions before creating VMs.
- * See "Runnability guarantee of CPU models" at
- * docs/about/deprecated.rst.
- */
-X86CPUVersion default_cpu_version = 1;
+static bool use_legacy_cpu;
+void x86_cpu_set_legacy_version(void)
+{
+    use_legacy_cpu = true;
+}
 
-void x86_cpu_set_default_version(X86CPUVersion version)
+static bool use_latest_cpu;
+void x86_cpu_uses_lastest_version(void)
 {
-    /* Translating CPU_VERSION_AUTO to CPU_VERSION_AUTO doesn't make sense */
-    assert(version != CPU_VERSION_AUTO);
-    default_cpu_version = version;
+    use_latest_cpu = true;
 }
 
 static X86CPUVersion x86_cpu_model_last_version(const X86CPUModel *model)
@@ -5374,14 +5373,11 @@ static X86CPUVersion x86_cpu_model_last_version(const X86CPUModel *model)
 /* Return the actual version being used for a specific CPU model */
 static X86CPUVersion x86_cpu_model_resolve_version(const X86CPUModel *model)
 {
-    X86CPUVersion v = model->version;
-    if (v == CPU_VERSION_AUTO) {
-        v = default_cpu_version;
-    }
-    if (v == CPU_VERSION_LATEST) {
+    if (use_latest_cpu) {
         return x86_cpu_model_last_version(model);
     }
-    return v;
+
+    return model->version;
 }
 
 static const Property max_x86_cpu_properties[] = {
@@ -5985,10 +5981,15 @@ static char *x86_cpu_class_get_alias_of(X86CPUClass *cc)
     if (!cc->model || !cc->model->is_alias) {
         return NULL;
     }
-    version = x86_cpu_model_resolve_version(cc->model);
-    if (version <= 0) {
+
+    if (use_legacy_cpu) {
+        /* legacy cpu models do not support cpu aliases */
         return NULL;
     }
+
+    version = x86_cpu_model_resolve_version(cc->model);
+    assert(version);
+
     return x86_cpu_versioned_model_name(cc->model->cpudef, version);
 }
 
@@ -6002,11 +6003,7 @@ static void x86_cpu_list_entry(gpointer data, gpointer user_data)
     g_autofree char *model_id = x86_cpu_class_get_model_id(cc);
 
     if (!desc && alias_of) {
-        if (cc->model && cc->model->version == CPU_VERSION_AUTO) {
-            desc = g_strdup("(alias configured by machine type)");
-        } else {
             desc = g_strdup_printf("(alias of %s)", alias_of);
-        }
     }
     if (!desc && cc->model && cc->model->note) {
         desc = g_strdup_printf("%s [%s]", model_id, cc->model->note);
@@ -6109,13 +6106,8 @@ static void x86_cpu_definition_entry(gpointer data, gpointer user_data)
     } else {
         info->deprecated = false;
     }
-    /*
-     * Old machine types won't report aliases, so that alias translation
-     * doesn't break compatibility with previous QEMU versions.
-     */
-    if (default_cpu_version != CPU_VERSION_LEGACY) {
-        info->alias_of = x86_cpu_class_get_alias_of(cc);
-    }
+
+    info->alias_of = x86_cpu_class_get_alias_of(cc);
 
     QAPI_LIST_PREPEND(*cpu_list, info);
 }
@@ -6287,7 +6279,12 @@ static void x86_cpu_apply_version_props(X86CPU *cpu, X86CPUModel *model)
     const X86CPUVersionDefinition *vdef;
     X86CPUVersion version = x86_cpu_model_resolve_version(model);
 
-    if (version == CPU_VERSION_LEGACY) {
+    /*
+     * if the machine uses legacy cpus, use legacy cpus with no versions
+     * when no explict CPU versions are specified in the CPU definition
+     * passed from the command line.
+     */
+    if (version == DEFAULT_CPU_VERSION && use_legacy_cpu) {
         return;
     }
 
@@ -6317,7 +6314,11 @@ static const CPUCaches *x86_cpu_get_versioned_cache_info(X86CPU *cpu,
     X86CPUVersion version = x86_cpu_model_resolve_version(model);
     const CPUCaches *cache_info = model->cpudef->cache_info;
 
-    if (version == CPU_VERSION_LEGACY) {
+    /*
+     * If machine supports legacy cpus and no explicit cpu versions are
+     * specified, use the cache from the unversioned cpu definition.
+     */
+    if (version == DEFAULT_CPU_VERSION && use_legacy_cpu) {
         return cache_info;
     }
 
@@ -6452,7 +6453,7 @@ static void x86_register_cpudef_types(const X86CPUDefinition *def)
     /* Unversioned model: */
     m = g_new0(X86CPUModel, 1);
     m->cpudef = def;
-    m->version = CPU_VERSION_AUTO;
+    m->version = DEFAULT_CPU_VERSION;
     m->is_alias = true;
     x86_register_cpu_model_type(def->name, m);
 
diff --git a/target/i386/cpu.h b/target/i386/cpu.h
index b26e25ba15..bdbe54b26f 100644
--- a/target/i386/cpu.h
+++ b/target/i386/cpu.h
@@ -2679,27 +2679,14 @@ void cpu_report_tpr_access(CPUX86State *env, TPRAccess access);
 void apic_handle_tpr_access_report(DeviceState *d, target_ulong ip,
                                    TPRAccess access);
 
-/* Special values for X86CPUVersion: */
-
-/* Resolve to latest CPU version */
-#define CPU_VERSION_LATEST -1
-
-/*
- * Resolve to version defined by current machine type.
- * See x86_cpu_set_default_version()
- */
-#define CPU_VERSION_AUTO   -2
-
-/* Don't resolve to any versioned CPU models, like old QEMU versions */
-#define CPU_VERSION_LEGACY  0
-
 typedef int X86CPUVersion;
 
 /*
- * Set default CPU model version for CPU models having
- * version == CPU_VERSION_AUTO.
+ * Set CPU model version to the lastest version.
+ * Currently, this is only used by microvm.
  */
-void x86_cpu_set_default_version(X86CPUVersion version);
+void x86_cpu_uses_lastest_version(void);
+void x86_cpu_set_legacy_version(void);
 
 #ifndef CONFIG_USER_ONLY
 
