diff --git a/hw/audio/hda-codec.c b/hw/audio/hda-codec.c
index ac67b9aada..fc4945086b 100644
--- a/hw/audio/hda-codec.c
+++ b/hw/audio/hda-codec.c
@@ -839,7 +839,7 @@ static const VMStateDescription vmstate_hda_audio = {
 static Property hda_audio_properties[] = {
     DEFINE_PROP_UINT32("debug", HDAAudioState, debug,   0),
     DEFINE_PROP_BOOL("mixer", HDAAudioState, mixer,  true),
-    DEFINE_PROP_BOOL("use-timer", HDAAudioState, use_timer, false),
+    DEFINE_PROP_BOOL("use-timer", HDAAudioState, use_timer,  true),
     DEFINE_PROP_END_OF_LIST(),
 };
 
diff --git a/include/hw/compat.h b/include/hw/compat.h
index 563908b874..44d5964060 100644
--- a/include/hw/compat.h
+++ b/include/hw/compat.h
@@ -6,6 +6,10 @@
         .driver   = "migration",\
         .property = "decompress-error-check",\
         .value    = "off",\
+    },{\
+        .driver   = "hda-audio",\
+        .property = "use-timer",\
+        .value    = "false",\
     },
 
 #define HW_COMPAT_2_11 \