diff --git a/include/hw/arm/fsl-imx7.h b/include/hw/arm/fsl-imx7.h
index a6f3a96029..77771f916c 100644
--- a/include/hw/arm/fsl-imx7.h
+++ b/include/hw/arm/fsl-imx7.h
@@ -36,7 +36,6 @@
 #include "hw/net/imx_fec.h"
 #include "hw/pci-host/designware.h"
 #include "hw/usb/chipidea.h"
-#include "cpu.h"
 #include "qom/object.h"
 #include "qemu/units.h"
 
@@ -63,11 +62,8 @@ enum FslIMX7Configuration {
 };
 
 struct FslIMX7State {
-    /*< private >*/
     DeviceState    parent_obj;
 
-    /*< public >*/
-    ARMCPU             cpu[FSL_IMX7_NUM_CPUS];
     CortexMPPrivState  a7mpcore;
     IMXGPTState        gpt[FSL_IMX7_NUM_GPTS];
     IMXGPIOState       gpio[FSL_IMX7_NUM_GPIOS];
diff --git a/hw/arm/fsl-imx7.c b/hw/arm/fsl-imx7.c
index bd9266b8b5..f71ffe7910 100644
--- a/hw/arm/fsl-imx7.c
+++ b/hw/arm/fsl-imx7.c
@@ -26,25 +26,16 @@
 #include "sysemu/sysemu.h"
 #include "qemu/error-report.h"
 #include "qemu/module.h"
+#include "target/arm/cpu.h" /* qom */
 
 #define NAME_SIZE 20
 
 static void fsl_imx7_init(Object *obj)
 {
-    MachineState *ms = MACHINE(qdev_get_machine());
     FslIMX7State *s = FSL_IMX7(obj);
     char name[NAME_SIZE];
     int i;
 
-    /*
-     * CPUs
-     */
-    for (i = 0; i < MIN(ms->smp.cpus, FSL_IMX7_NUM_CPUS); i++) {
-        snprintf(name, NAME_SIZE, "cpu%d", i);
-        object_initialize_child(obj, name, &s->cpu[i],
-                                ARM_CPU_TYPE_NAME("cortex-a7"));
-    }
-
     /*
      * A7MPCORE
      */
@@ -163,7 +154,6 @@ static void fsl_imx7_realize(DeviceState *dev, Error **errp)
     MachineState *ms = MACHINE(qdev_get_machine());
     FslIMX7State *s = FSL_IMX7(dev);
     DeviceState *gic;
-    Object *o;
     int i;
     qemu_irq irq;
     char name[NAME_SIZE];
@@ -175,56 +165,20 @@ static void fsl_imx7_realize(DeviceState *dev, Error **errp)
         return;
     }
 
-    /*
-     * CPUs
-     */
-    for (i = 0; i < smp_cpus; i++) {
-        o = OBJECT(&s->cpu[i]);
-
-        /* On uniprocessor, the CBAR is set to 0 */
-        if (smp_cpus > 1) {
-            object_property_set_int(o, "reset-cbar", FSL_IMX7_A7MPCORE_ADDR,
-                                    &error_abort);
-        }
-
-        if (i) {
-            /*
-             * Secondary CPUs start in powered-down state (and can be
-             * powered up via the SRC system reset controller)
-             */
-            object_property_set_bool(o, "start-powered-off", true,
-                                     &error_abort);
-        }
-
-        qdev_realize(DEVICE(o), NULL, &error_abort);
-    }
-
     /*
      * A7MPCORE
      */
-    object_property_set_int(OBJECT(&s->a7mpcore), "num-cores", smp_cpus,
-                            &error_abort);
-    object_property_set_int(OBJECT(&s->a7mpcore), "num-irq",
-                            FSL_IMX7_MAX_IRQ + GIC_INTERNAL, &error_abort);
-
+    qdev_prop_set_uint32(DEVICE(&s->a7mpcore), "num-cores", ms->smp.cpus);
+    qdev_prop_set_string(DEVICE(&s->a7mpcore), "cpu-type",
+                         ARM_CPU_TYPE_NAME("cortex-a7"));
+    qdev_prop_set_uint64(DEVICE(&s->a7mpcore), "cpu-reset-cbar",
+                         FSL_IMX7_A7MPCORE_ADDR);
+    qdev_prop_set_uint32(DEVICE(&s->a7mpcore), "gic-spi-num",
+                         FSL_IMX7_MAX_IRQ + GIC_INTERNAL);
     sysbus_realize(SYS_BUS_DEVICE(&s->a7mpcore), &error_abort);
     sysbus_mmio_map(SYS_BUS_DEVICE(&s->a7mpcore), 0, FSL_IMX7_A7MPCORE_ADDR);
     gic = DEVICE(&s->a7mpcore);
 
-    for (i = 0; i < smp_cpus; i++) {
-        SysBusDevice *sbd = SYS_BUS_DEVICE(&s->a7mpcore);
-        DeviceState  *d   = DEVICE(qemu_get_cpu(i));
-
-        irq = qdev_get_gpio_in(d, ARM_CPU_IRQ);
-        sysbus_connect_irq(sbd, i, irq);
-        irq = qdev_get_gpio_in(d, ARM_CPU_FIQ);
-        sysbus_connect_irq(sbd, i + smp_cpus, irq);
-        irq = qdev_get_gpio_in(d, ARM_CPU_VIRQ);
-        sysbus_connect_irq(sbd, i + 2 * smp_cpus, irq);
-        irq = qdev_get_gpio_in(d, ARM_CPU_VFIQ);
-        sysbus_connect_irq(sbd, i + 3 * smp_cpus, irq);
-    }
-
     /*
      * A7MPCORE DAP
      */
diff --git a/hw/arm/mcimx7d-sabre.c b/hw/arm/mcimx7d-sabre.c
index 693a1023b6..782f7591db 100644
--- a/hw/arm/mcimx7d-sabre.c
+++ b/hw/arm/mcimx7d-sabre.c
@@ -20,6 +20,7 @@
 #include "hw/qdev-properties.h"
 #include "qemu/error-report.h"
 #include "sysemu/qtest.h"
+#include "target/arm/cpu.h" /* qom */
 
 static void mcimx7d_sabre_init(MachineState *machine)
 {
@@ -64,7 +65,7 @@ static void mcimx7d_sabre_init(MachineState *machine)
     }
 
     if (!qtest_enabled()) {
-        arm_load_kernel(&s->cpu[0], machine, &boot_info);
+        arm_load_kernel(s->a7mpcore.cpu[0], machine, &boot_info);
     }
 }
 
