diff --git a/qemu/aarch64.h b/qemu/aarch64.h
index 3be2220a..d0ea77a8 100644
--- a/qemu/aarch64.h
+++ b/qemu/aarch64.h
@@ -1947,6 +1947,7 @@
 #define page_size_init page_size_init_aarch64
 #define par_write par_write_aarch64
 #define parse_array parse_array_aarch64
+#define parse_cpu_model parse_cpu_model_aarch64
 #define parse_error parse_error_aarch64
 #define parse_escape parse_escape_aarch64
 #define parse_keyword parse_keyword_aarch64
diff --git a/qemu/aarch64eb.h b/qemu/aarch64eb.h
index ddfc84a5..d6a79ac7 100644
--- a/qemu/aarch64eb.h
+++ b/qemu/aarch64eb.h
@@ -1947,6 +1947,7 @@
 #define page_size_init page_size_init_aarch64eb
 #define par_write par_write_aarch64eb
 #define parse_array parse_array_aarch64eb
+#define parse_cpu_model parse_cpu_model_aarch64eb
 #define parse_error parse_error_aarch64eb
 #define parse_escape parse_escape_aarch64eb
 #define parse_keyword parse_keyword_aarch64eb
diff --git a/qemu/arm.h b/qemu/arm.h
index da113846..bd0a792c 100644
--- a/qemu/arm.h
+++ b/qemu/arm.h
@@ -1947,6 +1947,7 @@
 #define page_size_init page_size_init_arm
 #define par_write par_write_arm
 #define parse_array parse_array_arm
+#define parse_cpu_model parse_cpu_model_arm
 #define parse_error parse_error_arm
 #define parse_escape parse_escape_arm
 #define parse_keyword parse_keyword_arm
diff --git a/qemu/armeb.h b/qemu/armeb.h
index d44cf486..2dcb704b 100644
--- a/qemu/armeb.h
+++ b/qemu/armeb.h
@@ -1947,6 +1947,7 @@
 #define page_size_init page_size_init_armeb
 #define par_write par_write_armeb
 #define parse_array parse_array_armeb
+#define parse_cpu_model parse_cpu_model_armeb
 #define parse_error parse_error_armeb
 #define parse_escape parse_escape_armeb
 #define parse_keyword parse_keyword_armeb
diff --git a/qemu/exec.c b/qemu/exec.c
index 6565e0d1..6c6613ac 100644
--- a/qemu/exec.c
+++ b/qemu/exec.c
@@ -620,6 +620,29 @@ void cpu_exec_init(CPUState *cpu, void *opaque)
 #endif
 }
 
+const char *parse_cpu_model(struct uc_struct *uc, const char *cpu_model)
+{
+    ObjectClass *oc;
+    CPUClass *cc;
+    gchar **model_pieces;
+    const char *cpu_type;
+
+    model_pieces = g_strsplit(cpu_model, ",", 2);
+
+    oc = cpu_class_by_name(uc, CPU_RESOLVING_TYPE, model_pieces[0]);
+    if (oc == NULL) {
+        fprintf(stderr, "unable to find CPU model '%s'", model_pieces[0]);
+        g_strfreev(model_pieces);
+        return NULL;
+    }
+
+    cpu_type = object_class_get_name(oc);
+    cc = CPU_CLASS(uc, oc);
+    cc->parse_features(uc, cpu_type, model_pieces[1], &error_fatal);
+    g_strfreev(model_pieces);
+    return cpu_type;
+}
+
 #if defined(CONFIG_USER_ONLY)
 static void breakpoint_invalidate(CPUState *cpu, target_ulong pc)
 {
diff --git a/qemu/glib_compat.c b/qemu/glib_compat.c
index 1c3a4039..d2f536ad 100644
--- a/qemu/glib_compat.c
+++ b/qemu/glib_compat.c
@@ -224,6 +224,106 @@ void g_list_free(GList *list)
    }
 }
 
+/**
+ * g_list_free_full:
+ * @list: a pointer to a #GList
+ * @free_func: the function to be called to free each element's data
+ *
+ * Convenience method, which frees all the memory used by a #GList, and
+ * calls the specified destroy function on every element's data.
+ *
+ * Since: 2.28
+ */
+void
+g_list_free_full (GList          *list,
+      GDestroyNotify  free_func)
+{
+  g_list_foreach (list, (GFunc) free_func, NULL);
+  g_list_free (list);
+}
+
+/**
+ * g_list_last:
+ * @list: a #GList
+ *
+ * Gets the last element in a #GList.
+ *
+ * Returns: the last element in the #GList,
+ *     or %NULL if the #GList has no elements
+ */
+GList*
+g_list_last (GList *list)
+{
+  if (list)
+    {
+      while (list->next)
+  list = list->next;
+    }
+
+  return list;
+}
+
+/**
+ * g_list_append:
+ * @list: a pointer to a #GList
+ * @data: the data for the new element
+ *
+ * Adds a new element on to the end of the list.
+ *
+ * <note><para>
+ * The return value is the new start of the list, which
+ * may have changed, so make sure you store the new value.
+ * </para></note>
+ *
+ * <note><para>
+ * Note that g_list_append() has to traverse the entire list
+ * to find the end, which is inefficient when adding multiple
+ * elements. A common idiom to avoid the inefficiency is to prepend
+ * the elements and reverse the list when all elements have been added.
+ * </para></note>
+ *
+ * |[
+ * /&ast; Notice that these are initialized to the empty list. &ast;/
+ * GList *list = NULL, *number_list = NULL;
+ *
+ * /&ast; This is a list of strings. &ast;/
+ * list = g_list_append (list, "first");
+ * list = g_list_append (list, "second");
+ *
+ * /&ast; This is a list of integers. &ast;/
+ * number_list = g_list_append (number_list, GINT_TO_POINTER (27));
+ * number_list = g_list_append (number_list, GINT_TO_POINTER (14));
+ * ]|
+ *
+ * Returns: the new start of the #GList
+ */
+GList*
+g_list_append (GList  *list,
+         gpointer  data)
+{
+  GList *new_list;
+  GList *last;
+
+  new_list = g_new0(GList, 1);
+  new_list->data = data;
+  new_list->next = NULL;
+
+  if (list)
+    {
+      last = g_list_last (list);
+      /* g_assert (last != NULL); */
+      last->next = new_list;
+      new_list->prev = last;
+
+      return list;
+    }
+  else
+    {
+      new_list->prev = NULL;
+      return new_list;
+    }
+}
+
 GList *g_list_insert_sorted(GList *list, gpointer data, GCompareFunc compare)
 {
    GList *i;
diff --git a/qemu/header_gen.py b/qemu/header_gen.py
index e8b82956..8b8cbe89 100644
--- a/qemu/header_gen.py
+++ b/qemu/header_gen.py
@@ -1953,6 +1953,7 @@ symbols = (
     'page_size_init',
     'par_write',
     'parse_array',
+    'parse_cpu_model',
     'parse_error',
     'parse_escape',
     'parse_keyword',
diff --git a/qemu/hw/arm/tosa.c b/qemu/hw/arm/tosa.c
index 56fd871a..3aa40192 100644
--- a/qemu/hw/arm/tosa.c
+++ b/qemu/hw/arm/tosa.c
@@ -22,9 +22,9 @@
 static int tosa_init(struct uc_struct *uc, MachineState *machine)
 {
     if (uc->mode & UC_MODE_MCLASS) {
-        uc->cpu = cpu_init(uc, "cortex-m3");
+        uc->cpu = cpu_create(uc, "cortex-m3");
     } else {
-        uc->cpu = cpu_init(uc, "cortex-a15");
+        uc->cpu = cpu_create(uc, "cortex-a15");
     }
 
     return 0;
diff --git a/qemu/hw/m68k/dummy_m68k.c b/qemu/hw/m68k/dummy_m68k.c
index 0423bafd..3acc3d3c 100644
--- a/qemu/hw/m68k/dummy_m68k.c
+++ b/qemu/hw/m68k/dummy_m68k.c
@@ -19,14 +19,10 @@
 /* Board init.  */
 static int dummy_m68k_init(struct uc_struct *uc, MachineState *machine)
 {
-    const char *cpu_model = machine->cpu_model;
     CPUM68KState *env;
+    const char *cpu_type = parse_cpu_model(uc, "cf4ve");
 
-    if (!cpu_model) {
-        cpu_model = "cfv4e";
-    }
-
-    uc->cpu = cpu_init(uc, cpu_model);
+    uc->cpu = cpu_create(uc, cpu_type);
     if (!uc->cpu) {
         fprintf(stderr, "Unable to find m68k CPU definition\n");
         return -1;
@@ -45,6 +41,7 @@ static void dummy_m68k_machine_init(struct uc_struct *uc, MachineClass *mc)
     mc->init = dummy_m68k_init;
     mc->is_default = 1;
     mc->arch = UC_ARCH_M68K;
+    mc->default_cpu_type = M68K_CPU_TYPE_NAME("cfv4e");
 }
 
 DEFINE_MACHINE("dummy", dummy_m68k_machine_init)
diff --git a/qemu/hw/mips/mips_r4k.c b/qemu/hw/mips/mips_r4k.c
index 48fd0df6..267f0e81 100644
--- a/qemu/hw/mips/mips_r4k.c
+++ b/qemu/hw/mips/mips_r4k.c
@@ -25,18 +25,14 @@
 
 static int mips_r4k_init(struct uc_struct *uc, MachineState *machine)
 {
-    const char *cpu_model = machine->cpu_model;
-
-    /* init CPUs */
-    if (cpu_model == NULL) {
 #ifdef TARGET_MIPS64
-        cpu_model = "R4000";
+    const char *cpu_model = MIPS_CPU_TYPE_NAME("R4000");
 #else
-        cpu_model = "24Kf";
+    const char *cpu_model = MIPS_CPU_TYPE_NAME("24Kf");
 #endif
-    }
+    const char *cpu_type = parse_cpu_model(uc, cpu_model);
 
-    uc->cpu = cpu_generic_init(uc, TYPE_MIPS_CPU, cpu_model);
+    uc->cpu = cpu_create(uc, cpu_type);
     if (uc->cpu == NULL) {
         fprintf(stderr, "Unable to find CPU definition\n");
         return -1;
@@ -50,6 +46,11 @@ static void mips_machine_init(struct uc_struct *uc, MachineClass *mc)
     mc->init = mips_r4k_init;
     mc->is_default = 1;
     mc->arch = UC_ARCH_MIPS;
+#ifdef TARGET_MIPS64
+    mc->default_cpu_type = MIPS_CPU_TYPE_NAME("R4000");
+#else
+    mc->default_cpu_type = MIPS_CPU_TYPE_NAME("24Kf");
+#endif
 }
 
 DEFINE_MACHINE("mips", mips_machine_init)
diff --git a/qemu/hw/sparc/leon3.c b/qemu/hw/sparc/leon3.c
index 68083974..64ff7d6c 100644
--- a/qemu/hw/sparc/leon3.c
+++ b/qemu/hw/sparc/leon3.c
@@ -38,15 +38,10 @@
 
 static int leon3_generic_hw_init(struct uc_struct *uc, MachineState *machine)
 {
-    const char *cpu_model = machine->cpu_model;
+    const char *cpu_type = parse_cpu_model(uc, "LEON3");
     SPARCCPU *cpu;
 
-    /* Init CPU */
-    if (!cpu_model) {
-        cpu_model = "LEON3";
-    }
-
-    uc->cpu = cpu_init(uc, cpu_model);
+    uc->cpu = cpu_create(uc, cpu_type);
     cpu = SPARC_CPU(uc, uc->cpu);
     if (cpu == NULL) {
         fprintf(stderr, "qemu: Unable to find Sparc CPU definition\n");
@@ -63,6 +58,7 @@ static void leon3_generic_machine_init(struct uc_struct *uc, MachineClass *mc)
     mc->init = leon3_generic_hw_init;
     mc->is_default = 1;
     mc->arch = UC_ARCH_SPARC;
+    mc->default_cpu_type = SPARC_CPU_TYPE_NAME("LEON3");
 }
 
 DEFINE_MACHINE("leon3_generic", leon3_generic_machine_init)
diff --git a/qemu/hw/sparc64/sun4u.c b/qemu/hw/sparc64/sun4u.c
index 7b0246a9..e2e68810 100644
--- a/qemu/hw/sparc64/sun4u.c
+++ b/qemu/hw/sparc64/sun4u.c
@@ -36,14 +36,10 @@
 /* Sun4u hardware initialisation */
 static int sun4u_init(struct uc_struct *uc, MachineState *machine)
 {
-    const char *cpu_model = machine->cpu_model;
+    const char *cpu_type = parse_cpu_model(uc, "Sun UltraSparc IV");
     SPARCCPU *cpu;
 
-    if (cpu_model == NULL) {
-        cpu_model = "Sun UltraSparc IV";
-    }
-
-    uc->cpu = cpu_init(uc, cpu_model);
+    uc->cpu = cpu_create(uc, cpu_type);
     cpu = SPARC_CPU(uc, uc->cpu);
     if (cpu == NULL) {
         fprintf(stderr, "Unable to find Sparc CPU definition\n");
@@ -61,6 +57,7 @@ static void sun4u_class_init(struct uc_struct *uc, ObjectClass *oc, void *data)
     mc->max_cpus = 1; /* XXX for now */
     mc->is_default = 1;
     mc->arch = UC_ARCH_SPARC;
+    mc->default_cpu_type = SPARC_CPU_TYPE_NAME("Sun UltraSparc IV");
 }
 
 static const TypeInfo sun4u_type = {
diff --git a/qemu/include/glib_compat.h b/qemu/include/glib_compat.h
index 5f3f8af7..b4599055 100644
--- a/qemu/include/glib_compat.h
+++ b/qemu/include/glib_compat.h
@@ -74,9 +74,12 @@ typedef struct _GList {
   struct _GList *prev;
 } GList;
 
+GList* g_list_append(GList *list, gpointer data);
 GList *g_list_first(GList *list);
+GList* g_list_last(GList *list);
 void g_list_foreach(GList *list, GFunc func, gpointer user_data);
 void g_list_free(GList *list);
+void g_list_free_full(GList *list, GDestroyNotify free_func);
 GList* g_list_insert_before(GList *list, GList *sibling, gpointer data);
 GList *g_list_insert_sorted(GList *list, gpointer data, GCompareFunc compare);
 #define g_list_next(list) (list->next)
diff --git a/qemu/include/hw/boards.h b/qemu/include/hw/boards.h
index cf76a842..27efd7db 100644
--- a/qemu/include/hw/boards.h
+++ b/qemu/include/hw/boards.h
@@ -112,7 +112,6 @@ struct MachineState {
     /*< public >*/
     ram_addr_t ram_size;
     ram_addr_t maxram_size;
-    const char *cpu_model;
     const char *cpu_type;
     struct uc_struct *uc;
     AccelState *accelerator;
diff --git a/qemu/include/qom/cpu.h b/qemu/include/qom/cpu.h
index 339ffb40..0345167c 100644
--- a/qemu/include/qom/cpu.h
+++ b/qemu/include/qom/cpu.h
@@ -538,26 +538,14 @@ ObjectClass *cpu_class_by_name(struct uc_struct *uc, const char *typename, const
 CPUState *cpu_create(struct uc_struct *uc, const char *typename);
 
 /**
- * cpu_parse_cpu_model:
- * @typename: The CPU base type or CPU type.
+ * parse_cpu_model:
  * @cpu_model: The model string including optional parameters.
  *
  * processes optional parameters and registers them as global properties
  *
  * Returns: type of CPU to create or %NULL if an error occurred.
  */
-const char *cpu_parse_cpu_model(struct uc_struct *uc, const char *typename, const char *cpu_model);
-
-/**
- * cpu_generic_init:
- * @typename: The CPU base type.
- * @cpu_model: The model string including optional parameters.
- *
- * Instantiates a CPU, processes optional parameters and realizes the CPU.
- *
- * Returns: A #CPUState or %NULL if an error occurred.
- */
-CPUState *cpu_generic_init(struct uc_struct *uc, const char *typename, const char *cpu_model);
+const char *parse_cpu_model(struct uc_struct *uc, const char *cpu_model);
 
 /**
  * cpu_has_work:
diff --git a/qemu/m68k.h b/qemu/m68k.h
index 926f1bb3..ecd7499b 100644
--- a/qemu/m68k.h
+++ b/qemu/m68k.h
@@ -1947,6 +1947,7 @@
 #define page_size_init page_size_init_m68k
 #define par_write par_write_m68k
 #define parse_array parse_array_m68k
+#define parse_cpu_model parse_cpu_model_m68k
 #define parse_error parse_error_m68k
 #define parse_escape parse_escape_m68k
 #define parse_keyword parse_keyword_m68k
diff --git a/qemu/mips.h b/qemu/mips.h
index f35826b9..d66d73a6 100644
--- a/qemu/mips.h
+++ b/qemu/mips.h
@@ -1947,6 +1947,7 @@
 #define page_size_init page_size_init_mips
 #define par_write par_write_mips
 #define parse_array parse_array_mips
+#define parse_cpu_model parse_cpu_model_mips
 #define parse_error parse_error_mips
 #define parse_escape parse_escape_mips
 #define parse_keyword parse_keyword_mips
diff --git a/qemu/mips64.h b/qemu/mips64.h
index e10cb052..42e318b3 100644
--- a/qemu/mips64.h
+++ b/qemu/mips64.h
@@ -1947,6 +1947,7 @@
 #define page_size_init page_size_init_mips64
 #define par_write par_write_mips64
 #define parse_array parse_array_mips64
+#define parse_cpu_model parse_cpu_model_mips64
 #define parse_error parse_error_mips64
 #define parse_escape parse_escape_mips64
 #define parse_keyword parse_keyword_mips64
diff --git a/qemu/mips64el.h b/qemu/mips64el.h
index c3fd3f7a..b281b9aa 100644
--- a/qemu/mips64el.h
+++ b/qemu/mips64el.h
@@ -1947,6 +1947,7 @@
 #define page_size_init page_size_init_mips64el
 #define par_write par_write_mips64el
 #define parse_array parse_array_mips64el
+#define parse_cpu_model parse_cpu_model_mips64el
 #define parse_error parse_error_mips64el
 #define parse_escape parse_escape_mips64el
 #define parse_keyword parse_keyword_mips64el
diff --git a/qemu/mipsel.h b/qemu/mipsel.h
index 8e67aa8d..81df74e8 100644
--- a/qemu/mipsel.h
+++ b/qemu/mipsel.h
@@ -1947,6 +1947,7 @@
 #define page_size_init page_size_init_mipsel
 #define par_write par_write_mipsel
 #define parse_array parse_array_mipsel
+#define parse_cpu_model parse_cpu_model_mipsel
 #define parse_error parse_error_mipsel
 #define parse_escape parse_escape_mipsel
 #define parse_keyword parse_keyword_mipsel
diff --git a/qemu/powerpc.h b/qemu/powerpc.h
index f527cdca..4a0946bf 100644
--- a/qemu/powerpc.h
+++ b/qemu/powerpc.h
@@ -1947,6 +1947,7 @@
 #define page_size_init page_size_init_powerpc
 #define par_write par_write_powerpc
 #define parse_array parse_array_powerpc
+#define parse_cpu_model parse_cpu_model_powerpc
 #define parse_error parse_error_powerpc
 #define parse_escape parse_escape_powerpc
 #define parse_keyword parse_keyword_powerpc
diff --git a/qemu/qom/cpu.c b/qemu/qom/cpu.c
index 0946f5ce..fcb0e5f8 100644
--- a/qemu/qom/cpu.c
+++ b/qemu/qom/cpu.c
@@ -53,46 +53,6 @@ CPUState *cpu_create(struct uc_struct *uc, const char *typename)
     return cpu;
 }
 
-const char *cpu_parse_cpu_model(struct uc_struct *uc, const char *typename, const char *cpu_model)
-{
-    ObjectClass *oc;
-    CPUClass *cc;
-    Error *err = NULL;
-    gchar **model_pieces;
-    const char *cpu_type;
-
-    model_pieces = g_strsplit(cpu_model, ",", 2);
-
-    oc = cpu_class_by_name(uc, typename, model_pieces[0]);
-    if (oc == NULL) {
-        g_strfreev(model_pieces);
-        return NULL;
-    }
-
-    cpu_type = object_class_get_name(oc);
-    cc = CPU_CLASS(uc, oc);
-    cc->parse_features(uc, cpu_type, model_pieces[1], &err);
-    g_strfreev(model_pieces);
-    if (err != NULL) {
-        error_free(err);
-        return NULL;
-    }
-    return cpu_type;
-}
-
-CPUState *cpu_generic_init(struct uc_struct *uc, const char *typename, const char *cpu_model)
-{
-    /* TODO: all callers of cpu_generic_init() need to be converted to
-     * call cpu_parse_features() only once, before calling cpu_generic_init().
-     */
-    const char *cpu_type = cpu_parse_cpu_model(uc, typename, cpu_model);
-
-    if (cpu_type) {
-        return cpu_create(uc, cpu_type);
-    }
-    return NULL;
-}
-
 bool cpu_paging_enabled(const CPUState *cpu)
 {
     CPUClass *cc = CPU_GET_CLASS(cpu->uc, cpu);
@@ -234,22 +194,17 @@ static ObjectClass *cpu_common_class_by_name(struct uc_struct *uc, const char *c
 static void cpu_common_parse_features(struct uc_struct *uc, const char *typename, char *features,
                                       Error **errp)
 {
-    char *featurestr; /* Single "key=value" string being parsed */
     char *val;
+    /* Single "key=value" string being parsed */
+    char *featurestr = features ? strtok(features, ",") : NULL;
 
-    /* TODO: all callers of ->parse_features() need to be changed to
-     * call it only once, so we can remove this check (or change it
-     * to assert(!cpu_globals_initialized).
-     * Current callers of ->parse_features() are:
-     * - cpu_generic_init()
-     */
+    /* should be called only once, catch invalid users */
+    assert(!uc->cpu_globals_initialized);
     if (uc->cpu_globals_initialized) {
         return;
     }
     uc->cpu_globals_initialized = true;
 
-    featurestr = features ? strtok(features, ",") : NULL;
-
     while (featurestr) {
         val = strchr(featurestr, '=');
         if (val) {
diff --git a/qemu/sparc.h b/qemu/sparc.h
index 7f3d0ca4..f705f196 100644
--- a/qemu/sparc.h
+++ b/qemu/sparc.h
@@ -1947,6 +1947,7 @@
 #define page_size_init page_size_init_sparc
 #define par_write par_write_sparc
 #define parse_array parse_array_sparc
+#define parse_cpu_model parse_cpu_model_sparc
 #define parse_error parse_error_sparc
 #define parse_escape parse_escape_sparc
 #define parse_keyword parse_keyword_sparc
diff --git a/qemu/sparc64.h b/qemu/sparc64.h
index 8667a157..bca41e2c 100644
--- a/qemu/sparc64.h
+++ b/qemu/sparc64.h
@@ -1947,6 +1947,7 @@
 #define page_size_init page_size_init_sparc64
 #define par_write par_write_sparc64
 #define parse_array parse_array_sparc64
+#define parse_cpu_model parse_cpu_model_sparc64
 #define parse_error parse_error_sparc64
 #define parse_escape parse_escape_sparc64
 #define parse_keyword parse_keyword_sparc64
diff --git a/qemu/target/sparc/cpu.c b/qemu/target/sparc/cpu.c
index 831e7a6b..3b055a9f 100644
--- a/qemu/target/sparc/cpu.c
+++ b/qemu/target/sparc/cpu.c
@@ -514,105 +514,97 @@ static void print_features(FILE *f, fprintf_function cpu_fprintf,
 }
 #endif
 
-static void add_flagname_to_bitmaps(const char *flagname, uint32_t *features)
+static void
+cpu_add_feat_as_prop(const char *typename, const char *name, const char *val)
 {
-    unsigned int i;
-
-    for (i = 0; i < ARRAY_SIZE(feature_name); i++) {
-        if (feature_name[i] && !strcmp(flagname, feature_name[i])) {
-            *features |= 1 << i;
-            return;
-        }
-    }
-    //error_report("CPU feature %s not found", flagname);
+    // Unicorn: if'd out
+#if 0
+    GlobalProperty *prop = g_new0(typeof(*prop), 1);
+    prop->driver = typename;
+    prop->property = g_strdup(name);
+    prop->value = g_strdup(val);
+    prop->errp = &error_fatal;
+    qdev_prop_register_global(prop);
+#endif
 }
 
-static void sparc_cpu_parse_features(CPUState *cs, char *features,
+/* Parse "+feature,-feature,feature=foo" CPU feature string */
+static void sparc_cpu_parse_features(struct uc_struct *uc, const char *typename, char *features,
                                      Error **errp)
 {
-    SPARCCPU *cpu = SPARC_CPU(cs->uc, cs);
-    sparc_def_t *cpu_def = &cpu->env.def;
-    char *featurestr;
-    uint32_t plus_features = 0;
-    uint32_t minus_features = 0;
-    uint64_t iu_version;
-    uint32_t fpu_version, mmu_version, nwindows;
+    GList *l, *plus_features = NULL, *minus_features = NULL;
+    char *featurestr; /* Single 'key=value" string being parsed */
+    static bool cpu_globals_initialized;
 
-    featurestr = features ? strtok(features, ",") : NULL;
-    while (featurestr) {
-        char *val;
+    if (cpu_globals_initialized) {
+        return;
+    }
+    cpu_globals_initialized = true;
 
+    if (!features) {
+        return;
+    }
+
+    for (featurestr = strtok(features, ",");
+         featurestr;
+         featurestr = strtok(NULL, ",")) {
+        const char *name;
+        const char *val = NULL;
+        char *eq = NULL;
+
+        /* Compatibility syntax: */
         if (featurestr[0] == '+') {
-            add_flagname_to_bitmaps(featurestr + 1, &plus_features);
+            plus_features = g_list_append(plus_features,
+                                          g_strdup(featurestr + 1));
+            continue;
         } else if (featurestr[0] == '-') {
-            add_flagname_to_bitmaps(featurestr + 1, &minus_features);
-        } else if ((val = strchr(featurestr, '='))) {
-            *val = 0; val++;
-            if (!strcmp(featurestr, "iu_version")) {
-                char *err;
+            minus_features = g_list_append(minus_features,
+                                           g_strdup(featurestr + 1));
+            continue;
+        }
 
-                iu_version = strtoll(val, &err, 0);
-                if (!*val || *err) {
-                    error_setg(errp, "bad numerical value %s", val);
-                    return;
-                }
-                cpu_def->iu_version = iu_version;
-#ifdef DEBUG_FEATURES
-                fprintf(stderr, "iu_version %" PRIx64 "\n", iu_version);
-#endif
-            } else if (!strcmp(featurestr, "fpu_version")) {
-                char *err;
+        eq = strchr(featurestr, '=');
+        name = featurestr;
+        if (eq) {
+            *eq++ = 0;
+            val = eq;
 
-                fpu_version = strtol(val, &err, 0);
-                if (!*val || *err) {
-                    error_setg(errp, "bad numerical value %s", val);
-                    return;
-                }
-                cpu_def->fpu_version = fpu_version;
-#ifdef DEBUG_FEATURES
-                fprintf(stderr, "fpu_version %x\n", fpu_version);
-#endif
-            } else if (!strcmp(featurestr, "mmu_version")) {
-                char *err;
-
-                mmu_version = strtol(val, &err, 0);
-                if (!*val || *err) {
-                    error_setg(errp, "bad numerical value %s", val);
-                    return;
-                }
-                cpu_def->mmu_version = mmu_version;
-#ifdef DEBUG_FEATURES
-                fprintf(stderr, "mmu_version %x\n", mmu_version);
-#endif
-            } else if (!strcmp(featurestr, "nwindows")) {
-                char *err;
-
-                nwindows = strtol(val, &err, 0);
-                if (!*val || *err || nwindows > MAX_NWINDOWS ||
-                    nwindows < MIN_NWINDOWS) {
-                    error_setg(errp, "bad numerical value %s", val);
-                    return;
-                }
-                cpu_def->nwindows = nwindows;
-#ifdef DEBUG_FEATURES
-                fprintf(stderr, "nwindows %d\n", nwindows);
-#endif
-            } else {
-                error_setg(errp, "unrecognized feature %s", featurestr);
+            /*
+             * Temporarily, only +feat/-feat will be supported
+             * for boolean properties until we remove the
+             * minus-overrides-plus semantics and just follow
+             * the order options appear on the command-line.
+             *
+             * TODO: warn if user is relying on minus-override-plus semantics
+             * TODO: remove minus-override-plus semantics after
+             *       warning for a few releases
+             */
+            if (!strcasecmp(val, "on") ||
+                !strcasecmp(val, "off") ||
+                !strcasecmp(val, "true") ||
+                !strcasecmp(val, "false")) {
+                error_setg(errp, "Boolean properties in format %s=%s"
+                                 " are not supported", name, val);
                 return;
             }
         } else {
-            error_setg(errp, "feature string `%s' not in format "
-                             "(+feature|-feature|feature=xyz)", featurestr);
+            error_setg(errp, "Unsupported property format: %s", name);
             return;
         }
-        featurestr = strtok(NULL, ",");
+        cpu_add_feat_as_prop(typename, name, val);
     }
-    cpu_def->features |= plus_features;
-    cpu_def->features &= ~minus_features;
-#ifdef DEBUG_FEATURES
-    print_features(stderr, fprintf, cpu_def->features, NULL);
-#endif
+
+    for (l = plus_features; l; l = l->next) {
+        const char *name = l->data;
+        cpu_add_feat_as_prop(typename, name, "on");
+    }
+    g_list_free_full(plus_features, g_free);
+
+    for (l = minus_features; l; l = l->next) {
+        const char *name = l->data;
+        cpu_add_feat_as_prop(typename, name, "off");
+    }
+    g_list_free_full(minus_features, g_free);
 }
 
 #if 0
diff --git a/qemu/vl.c b/qemu/vl.c
index b2b8d42f..4a0ef6e6 100644
--- a/qemu/vl.c
+++ b/qemu/vl.c
@@ -162,12 +162,8 @@ int machine_initialize(struct uc_struct *uc)
     machine_class->max_cpus = 1;
     configure_accelerator(current_machine);
 
-    current_machine->cpu_model = NULL;
-
     /* parse features once if machine provides default cpu_type */
-    if (machine_class->default_cpu_type) {
-        current_machine->cpu_type = machine_class->default_cpu_type;
-    }
+    current_machine->cpu_type = machine_class->default_cpu_type;
 
     return machine_class->init(uc, current_machine);
 }
diff --git a/qemu/x86_64.h b/qemu/x86_64.h
index 8802fe8b..26eb361e 100644
--- a/qemu/x86_64.h
+++ b/qemu/x86_64.h
@@ -1947,6 +1947,7 @@
 #define page_size_init page_size_init_x86_64
 #define par_write par_write_x86_64
 #define parse_array parse_array_x86_64
+#define parse_cpu_model parse_cpu_model_x86_64
 #define parse_error parse_error_x86_64
 #define parse_escape parse_escape_x86_64
 #define parse_keyword parse_keyword_x86_64