diff --git a/qemu/target-i386/cpu.c b/qemu/target-i386/cpu.c
index 5dd83c95..79db26e5 100644
--- a/qemu/target-i386/cpu.c
+++ b/qemu/target-i386/cpu.c
@@ -1805,7 +1805,7 @@ out:
     return cpu;
 }
 
-X86CPU *cpu_x86_init_user(struct uc_struct *uc, const char *cpu_model)
+CPUX86State *cpu_x86_init_user(struct uc_struct *uc, const char *cpu_model)
 {
     Error *error = NULL;
     X86CPU *cpu;
@@ -1822,10 +1822,10 @@ out:
         error_free(error);
         if (cpu != NULL) {
             object_unref(uc, OBJECT(cpu));
-            cpu = NULL;
         }
+        return NULL;
     }
-    return cpu;
+    return &cpu->env;
 }
 
 static void x86_cpu_cpudef_class_init(struct uc_struct *uc, ObjectClass *oc, void *data)
diff --git a/qemu/target-i386/cpu.h b/qemu/target-i386/cpu.h
index 705bfb52..ac6f4edb 100644
--- a/qemu/target-i386/cpu.h
+++ b/qemu/target-i386/cpu.h
@@ -979,7 +979,6 @@ typedef struct CPUX86State {
 
 #include "cpu-qom.h"
 
-X86CPU *cpu_x86_init_user(struct uc_struct *uc, const char *cpu_model);
 X86CPU *cpu_x86_create(struct uc_struct *uc, const char *cpu_model, Error **errp);
 int cpu_x86_exec(struct uc_struct *uc, CPUX86State *s);
 void x86_cpudef_setup(void);
@@ -1165,14 +1164,8 @@ uint64_t cpu_get_tsc(CPUX86State *env);
 # define PHYS_ADDR_MASK 0xfffffffffLL
 # endif
 
-static inline CPUX86State *cpu_init(struct uc_struct *uc, const char *cpu_model)
-{
-    X86CPU *cpu = cpu_x86_init_user(uc, cpu_model);
-    if (cpu == NULL) {
-        return NULL;
-    }
-    return &cpu->env;
-}
+CPUX86State *cpu_x86_init_user(struct uc_struct *uc, const char *cpu_model);
+#define cpu_init cpu_x86_init_user
 
 #ifdef TARGET_I386
 #define cpu_exec cpu_x86_exec