diff --git a/backends/hostmem-file.c b/backends/hostmem-file.c
index be64020746..c8c355f5aa 100644
--- a/backends/hostmem-file.c
+++ b/backends/hostmem-file.c
@@ -18,13 +18,6 @@
 #include "sysemu/sysemu.h"
 #include "qom/object_interfaces.h"
 
-/* hostmem-file.c */
-/**
- * @TYPE_MEMORY_BACKEND_FILE:
- * name of backend that uses mmap on a file descriptor
- */
-#define TYPE_MEMORY_BACKEND_FILE "memory-backend-file"
-
 #define MEMORY_BACKEND_FILE(obj) \
     OBJECT_CHECK(HostMemoryBackendFile, (obj), TYPE_MEMORY_BACKEND_FILE)
 
@@ -58,7 +51,6 @@ file_backend_memory_alloc(HostMemoryBackend *backend, Error **errp)
         return;
     }
 
-    backend->force_prealloc = mem_prealloc;
     name = host_memory_backend_get_name(backend);
     memory_region_init_ram_from_file(&backend->mr, OBJECT(backend),
                                      name,
diff --git a/backends/hostmem-memfd.c b/backends/hostmem-memfd.c
index 26070b425e..74ba9879c4 100644
--- a/backends/hostmem-memfd.c
+++ b/backends/hostmem-memfd.c
@@ -45,7 +45,6 @@ memfd_backend_memory_alloc(HostMemoryBackend *backend, Error **errp)
         return;
     }
 
-    backend->force_prealloc = mem_prealloc;
     fd = qemu_memfd_create(TYPE_MEMORY_BACKEND_MEMFD, backend->size,
                            m->hugetlb, m->hugetlbsize, m->seal ?
                            F_SEAL_GROW | F_SEAL_SHRINK | F_SEAL_SEAL : 0,
diff --git a/backends/hostmem-ram.c b/backends/hostmem-ram.c
index 6aab8d3a73..5cc53e76c9 100644
--- a/backends/hostmem-ram.c
+++ b/backends/hostmem-ram.c
@@ -16,8 +16,6 @@
 #include "qemu/module.h"
 #include "qom/object_interfaces.h"
 
-#define TYPE_MEMORY_BACKEND_RAM "memory-backend-ram"
-
 static void
 ram_backend_memory_alloc(HostMemoryBackend *backend, Error **errp)
 {
diff --git a/backends/hostmem.c b/backends/hostmem.c
index e773bdfa6e..a70867b255 100644
--- a/backends/hostmem.c
+++ b/backends/hostmem.c
@@ -215,7 +215,7 @@ static bool host_memory_backend_get_prealloc(Object *obj, Error **errp)
 {
     HostMemoryBackend *backend = MEMORY_BACKEND(obj);
 
-    return backend->prealloc || backend->force_prealloc;
+    return backend->prealloc;
 }
 
 static void host_memory_backend_set_prealloc(Object *obj, bool value,
@@ -223,15 +223,6 @@ static void host_memory_backend_set_prealloc(Object *obj, bool value,
 {
     Error *local_err = NULL;
     HostMemoryBackend *backend = MEMORY_BACKEND(obj);
-    MachineState *ms = MACHINE(qdev_get_machine());
-
-    if (backend->force_prealloc) {
-        if (value) {
-            error_setg(errp,
-                       "remove -mem-prealloc to use the prealloc property");
-            return;
-        }
-    }
 
     if (!host_memory_backend_mr_inited(backend)) {
         backend->prealloc = value;
@@ -243,7 +234,7 @@ static void host_memory_backend_set_prealloc(Object *obj, bool value,
         void *ptr = memory_region_get_ram_ptr(&backend->mr);
         uint64_t sz = memory_region_size(&backend->mr);
 
-        os_mem_prealloc(fd, ptr, sz, ms->smp.cpus, &local_err);
+        os_mem_prealloc(fd, ptr, sz, backend->prealloc_threads, &local_err);
         if (local_err) {
             error_propagate(errp, local_err);
             return;
@@ -252,14 +243,43 @@ static void host_memory_backend_set_prealloc(Object *obj, bool value,
     }
 }
 
+static void host_memory_backend_get_prealloc_threads(Object *obj, Visitor *v,
+    const char *name, void *opaque, Error **errp)
+{
+    HostMemoryBackend *backend = MEMORY_BACKEND(obj);
+    visit_type_uint32(v, name, &backend->prealloc_threads, errp);
+}
+
+static void host_memory_backend_set_prealloc_threads(Object *obj, Visitor *v,
+    const char *name, void *opaque, Error **errp)
+{
+    HostMemoryBackend *backend = MEMORY_BACKEND(obj);
+    Error *local_err = NULL;
+    uint32_t value;
+
+    visit_type_uint32(v, name, &value, &local_err);
+    if (local_err) {
+        goto out;
+    }
+    if (value <= 0) {
+        error_setg(&local_err,
+                   "property '%s' of %s doesn't take value '%d'",
+                   name, object_get_typename(obj), value);
+        goto out;
+    }
+    backend->prealloc_threads = value;
+out:
+    error_propagate(errp, local_err);
+}
+
 static void host_memory_backend_init(Object *obj)
 {
     HostMemoryBackend *backend = MEMORY_BACKEND(obj);
     MachineState *machine = MACHINE(qdev_get_machine());
 
+    /* TODO: convert access to globals to compat properties */
     backend->merge = machine_mem_merge(machine);
     backend->dump = machine_dump_guest_core(machine);
-    backend->prealloc = mem_prealloc;
 }
 
 static void host_memory_backend_post_init(Object *obj)
@@ -313,7 +333,6 @@ host_memory_backend_memory_complete(UserCreatable *uc, Error **errp)
 {
     HostMemoryBackend *backend = MEMORY_BACKEND(uc);
     HostMemoryBackendClass *bc = MEMORY_BACKEND_GET_CLASS(uc);
-    MachineState *ms = MACHINE(qdev_get_machine());
     Error *local_err = NULL;
     void *ptr;
     uint64_t sz;
@@ -378,7 +397,7 @@ host_memory_backend_memory_complete(UserCreatable *uc, Error **errp)
          */
         if (backend->prealloc) {
             os_mem_prealloc(memory_region_get_fd(&backend->mr), ptr, sz,
-                            ms->smp.cpus, &local_err);
+                            backend->prealloc_threads, &local_err);
             if (local_err) {
                 goto out;
             }
@@ -456,6 +475,12 @@ host_memory_backend_class_init(ObjectClass *oc, void *data)
         host_memory_backend_set_prealloc, &error_abort);
     object_class_property_set_description(oc, "prealloc",
         "Preallocate memory", &error_abort);
+    object_class_property_add(oc, "prealloc-threads", "int",
+        host_memory_backend_get_prealloc_threads,
+        host_memory_backend_set_prealloc_threads,
+        NULL, NULL, &error_abort);
+    object_class_property_set_description(oc, "prealloc-threads",
+        "Number of CPU threads to use for prealloc", &error_abort);
     object_class_property_add(oc, "size", "int",
         host_memory_backend_get_size,
         host_memory_backend_set_size,
diff --git a/exec.c b/exec.c
index c930040f83..1276efc659 100644
--- a/exec.c
+++ b/exec.c
@@ -1668,59 +1668,18 @@ static int find_max_backend_pagesize(Object *obj, void *opaque)
 long qemu_minrampagesize(void)
 {
     long hpsize = LONG_MAX;
-    long mainrampagesize;
-    Object *memdev_root;
-    MachineState *ms = MACHINE(qdev_get_machine());
-
-    mainrampagesize = qemu_mempath_getpagesize(mem_path);
-
-    /* it's possible we have memory-backend objects with
-     * hugepage-backed RAM. these may get mapped into system
-     * address space via -numa parameters or memory hotplug
-     * hooks. we want to take these into account, but we
-     * also want to make sure these supported hugepage
-     * sizes are applicable across the entire range of memory
-     * we may boot from, so we take the min across all
-     * backends, and assume normal pages in cases where a
-     * backend isn't backed by hugepages.
-     */
-    memdev_root = object_resolve_path("/objects", NULL);
-    if (memdev_root) {
-        object_child_foreach(memdev_root, find_min_backend_pagesize, &hpsize);
-    }
-    if (hpsize == LONG_MAX) {
-        /* No additional memory regions found ==> Report main RAM page size */
-        return mainrampagesize;
-    }
-
-    /* If NUMA is disabled or the NUMA nodes are not backed with a
-     * memory-backend, then there is at least one node using "normal" RAM,
-     * so if its page size is smaller we have got to report that size instead.
-     */
-    if (hpsize > mainrampagesize &&
-        (ms->numa_state == NULL ||
-         ms->numa_state->num_nodes == 0 ||
-         ms->numa_state->nodes[0].node_memdev == NULL)) {
-        static bool warned;
-        if (!warned) {
-            error_report("Huge page support disabled (n/a for main memory).");
-            warned = true;
-        }
-        return mainrampagesize;
-    }
+    Object *memdev_root = object_resolve_path("/objects", NULL);
 
+    object_child_foreach(memdev_root, find_min_backend_pagesize, &hpsize);
     return hpsize;
 }
 
 long qemu_maxrampagesize(void)
 {
-    long pagesize = qemu_mempath_getpagesize(mem_path);
+    long pagesize = 0;
     Object *memdev_root = object_resolve_path("/objects", NULL);
 
-    if (memdev_root) {
-        object_child_foreach(memdev_root, find_max_backend_pagesize,
-                             &pagesize);
-    }
+    object_child_foreach(memdev_root, find_max_backend_pagesize, &pagesize);
     return pagesize;
 }
 #else
@@ -1843,8 +1802,6 @@ static void *file_ram_alloc(RAMBlock *block,
                             bool truncate,
                             Error **errp)
 {
-    Error *err = NULL;
-    MachineState *ms = MACHINE(qdev_get_machine());
     void *area;
 
     block->page_size = qemu_fd_getpagesize(fd);
@@ -1900,15 +1857,6 @@ static void *file_ram_alloc(RAMBlock *block,
         return NULL;
     }
 
-    if (mem_prealloc) {
-        os_mem_prealloc(fd, area, memory, ms->smp.cpus, &err);
-        if (err) {
-            error_propagate(errp, err);
-            qemu_ram_munmap(fd, area, memory);
-            return NULL;
-        }
-    }
-
     block->fd = fd;
     return area;
 }
@@ -2356,9 +2304,9 @@ RAMBlock *qemu_ram_alloc_from_fd(ram_addr_t size, MemoryRegion *mr,
     size = HOST_PAGE_ALIGN(size);
     file_size = get_file_size(fd);
     if (file_size > 0 && file_size < size) {
-        error_setg(errp, "backing store %s size 0x%" PRIx64
+        error_setg(errp, "backing store size 0x%" PRIx64
                    " does not match 'size' option 0x" RAM_ADDR_FMT,
-                   mem_path, file_size, size);
+                   file_size, size);
         return NULL;
     }
 
diff --git a/hw/alpha/alpha_sys.h b/hw/alpha/alpha_sys.h
index 95033d7f0b..bc0a286226 100644
--- a/hw/alpha/alpha_sys.h
+++ b/hw/alpha/alpha_sys.h
@@ -11,7 +11,7 @@
 #include "hw/intc/i8259.h"
 
 
-PCIBus *typhoon_init(ram_addr_t, ISABus **, qemu_irq *, AlphaCPU *[4],
+PCIBus *typhoon_init(MemoryRegion *, ISABus **, qemu_irq *, AlphaCPU *[4],
                      pci_map_irq_fn);
 
 /* alpha_pci.c.  */
diff --git a/hw/alpha/dp264.c b/hw/alpha/dp264.c
index a8f9a89cc4..8d71a30617 100644
--- a/hw/alpha/dp264.c
+++ b/hw/alpha/dp264.c
@@ -75,7 +75,7 @@ static void clipper_init(MachineState *machine)
     cpus[0]->env.trap_arg2 = smp_cpus;
 
     /* Init the chipset.  */
-    pci_bus = typhoon_init(ram_size, &isa_bus, &rtc_irq, cpus,
+    pci_bus = typhoon_init(machine->ram, &isa_bus, &rtc_irq, cpus,
                            clipper_pci_map_irq);
 
     /* Since we have an SRM-compatible PALcode, use the SRM epoch.  */
@@ -183,6 +183,7 @@ static void clipper_machine_init(MachineClass *mc)
     mc->max_cpus = 4;
     mc->is_default = 1;
     mc->default_cpu_type = ALPHA_CPU_TYPE_NAME("ev67");
+    mc->default_ram_id = "ram";
 }
 
 DEFINE_MACHINE("clipper", clipper_machine_init)
diff --git a/hw/alpha/typhoon.c b/hw/alpha/typhoon.c
index 179e1f7658..1795e2f29d 100644
--- a/hw/alpha/typhoon.c
+++ b/hw/alpha/typhoon.c
@@ -58,7 +58,6 @@ typedef struct TyphoonState {
     TyphoonCchip cchip;
     TyphoonPchip pchip;
     MemoryRegion dchip_region;
-    MemoryRegion ram_region;
 } TyphoonState;
 
 /* Called when one of DRIR or DIM changes.  */
@@ -817,8 +816,7 @@ static void typhoon_alarm_timer(void *opaque)
     cpu_interrupt(CPU(s->cchip.cpu[cpu]), CPU_INTERRUPT_TIMER);
 }
 
-PCIBus *typhoon_init(ram_addr_t ram_size, ISABus **isa_bus,
-                     qemu_irq *p_rtc_irq,
+PCIBus *typhoon_init(MemoryRegion *ram, ISABus **isa_bus, qemu_irq *p_rtc_irq,
                      AlphaCPU *cpus[4], pci_map_irq_fn sys_map_irq)
 {
     MemoryRegion *addr_space = get_system_memory();
@@ -851,9 +849,7 @@ PCIBus *typhoon_init(ram_addr_t ram_size, ISABus **isa_bus,
 
     /* Main memory region, 0x00.0000.0000.  Real hardware supports 32GB,
        but the address space hole reserved at this point is 8TB.  */
-    memory_region_allocate_system_memory(&s->ram_region, OBJECT(s), "ram",
-                                         ram_size);
-    memory_region_add_subregion(addr_space, 0, &s->ram_region);
+    memory_region_add_subregion(addr_space, 0, ram);
 
     /* TIGbus, 0x801.0000.0000, 1GB.  */
     /* ??? The TIGbus is used for delivering interrupts, and access to
diff --git a/hw/arm/aspeed.c b/hw/arm/aspeed.c
index a17843f0d3..a6a2102a93 100644
--- a/hw/arm/aspeed.c
+++ b/hw/arm/aspeed.c
@@ -35,7 +35,6 @@ static struct arm_boot_info aspeed_board_binfo = {
 struct AspeedBoardState {
     AspeedSoCState soc;
     MemoryRegion ram_container;
-    MemoryRegion ram;
     MemoryRegion max_ram;
 };
 
@@ -197,6 +196,7 @@ static void aspeed_machine_init(MachineState *machine)
 
     memory_region_init(&bmc->ram_container, NULL, "aspeed-ram-container",
                        UINT32_MAX);
+    memory_region_add_subregion(&bmc->ram_container, 0, machine->ram);
 
     object_initialize_child(OBJECT(machine), "soc", &bmc->soc,
                             (sizeof(bmc->soc)), amc->soc_name, &error_abort,
@@ -204,8 +204,12 @@ static void aspeed_machine_init(MachineState *machine)
 
     sc = ASPEED_SOC_GET_CLASS(&bmc->soc);
 
+    /*
+     * This will error out if isize is not supported by memory controller.
+     */
     object_property_set_uint(OBJECT(&bmc->soc), ram_size, "ram-size",
-                             &error_abort);
+                             &error_fatal);
+
     object_property_set_int(OBJECT(&bmc->soc), amc->hw_strap1, "hw-strap1",
                             &error_abort);
     object_property_set_int(OBJECT(&bmc->soc), amc->hw_strap2, "hw-strap2",
@@ -228,15 +232,6 @@ static void aspeed_machine_init(MachineState *machine)
     object_property_set_bool(OBJECT(&bmc->soc), true, "realized",
                              &error_abort);
 
-    /*
-     * Allocate RAM after the memory controller has checked the size
-     * was valid. If not, a default value is used.
-     */
-    ram_size = object_property_get_uint(OBJECT(&bmc->soc), "ram-size",
-                                        &error_abort);
-
-    memory_region_allocate_system_memory(&bmc->ram, NULL, "ram", ram_size);
-    memory_region_add_subregion(&bmc->ram_container, 0, &bmc->ram);
     memory_region_add_subregion(get_system_memory(),
                                 sc->memmap[ASPEED_SDRAM],
                                 &bmc->ram_container);
@@ -439,6 +434,7 @@ static void aspeed_machine_class_init(ObjectClass *oc, void *data)
     mc->no_floppy = 1;
     mc->no_cdrom = 1;
     mc->no_parallel = 1;
+    mc->default_ram_id = "ram";
 
     aspeed_machine_class_props_init(oc);
 }
diff --git a/hw/arm/collie.c b/hw/arm/collie.c
index 970a4405cc..4992084a3f 100644
--- a/hw/arm/collie.c
+++ b/hw/arm/collie.c
@@ -10,6 +10,7 @@
  */
 #include "qemu/osdep.h"
 #include "qemu/units.h"
+#include "qemu/cutils.h"
 #include "hw/sysbus.h"
 #include "hw/boards.h"
 #include "strongarm.h"
@@ -27,13 +28,18 @@ static void collie_init(MachineState *machine)
 {
     StrongARMState *s;
     DriveInfo *dinfo;
-    MemoryRegion *sdram = g_new(MemoryRegion, 1);
+    MachineClass *mc = MACHINE_GET_CLASS(machine);
+
+    if (machine->ram_size != mc->default_ram_size) {
+        char *sz = size_to_str(mc->default_ram_size);
+        error_report("Invalid RAM size, should be %s", sz);
+        g_free(sz);
+        exit(EXIT_FAILURE);
+    }
 
     s = sa1110_init(machine->cpu_type);
 
-    memory_region_allocate_system_memory(sdram, NULL, "strongarm.sdram",
-                                         collie_binfo.ram_size);
-    memory_region_add_subregion(get_system_memory(), SA_SDCS0, sdram);
+    memory_region_add_subregion(get_system_memory(), SA_SDCS0, machine->ram);
 
     dinfo = drive_get(IF_PFLASH, 0, 0);
     pflash_cfi01_register(SA_CS0, "collie.fl1", 0x02000000,
@@ -57,6 +63,8 @@ static void collie_machine_init(MachineClass *mc)
     mc->init = collie_init;
     mc->ignore_memory_transaction_failures = true;
     mc->default_cpu_type = ARM_CPU_TYPE_NAME("sa1110");
+    mc->default_ram_size = 0x20000000;
+    mc->default_ram_id = "strongarm.sdram";
 }
 
 DEFINE_MACHINE("collie", collie_machine_init)
diff --git a/hw/arm/cubieboard.c b/hw/arm/cubieboard.c
index 6dc2f1d6b6..089f9a30c1 100644
--- a/hw/arm/cubieboard.c
+++ b/hw/arm/cubieboard.c
@@ -28,52 +28,42 @@ static struct arm_boot_info cubieboard_binfo = {
     .board_id = 0x1008,
 };
 
-typedef struct CubieBoardState {
-    AwA10State *a10;
-    MemoryRegion sdram;
-} CubieBoardState;
-
 static void cubieboard_init(MachineState *machine)
 {
-    CubieBoardState *s = g_new(CubieBoardState, 1);
+    AwA10State *a10 = AW_A10(object_new(TYPE_AW_A10));
     Error *err = NULL;
 
-    s->a10 = AW_A10(object_new(TYPE_AW_A10));
-
-    object_property_set_int(OBJECT(&s->a10->emac), 1, "phy-addr", &err);
+    object_property_set_int(OBJECT(&a10->emac), 1, "phy-addr", &err);
     if (err != NULL) {
         error_reportf_err(err, "Couldn't set phy address: ");
         exit(1);
     }
 
-    object_property_set_int(OBJECT(&s->a10->timer), 32768, "clk0-freq", &err);
+    object_property_set_int(OBJECT(&a10->timer), 32768, "clk0-freq", &err);
     if (err != NULL) {
         error_reportf_err(err, "Couldn't set clk0 frequency: ");
         exit(1);
     }
 
-    object_property_set_int(OBJECT(&s->a10->timer), 24000000, "clk1-freq",
-                            &err);
+    object_property_set_int(OBJECT(&a10->timer), 24000000, "clk1-freq", &err);
     if (err != NULL) {
         error_reportf_err(err, "Couldn't set clk1 frequency: ");
         exit(1);
     }
 
-    object_property_set_bool(OBJECT(s->a10), true, "realized", &err);
+    object_property_set_bool(OBJECT(a10), true, "realized", &err);
     if (err != NULL) {
         error_reportf_err(err, "Couldn't realize Allwinner A10: ");
         exit(1);
     }
 
-    memory_region_allocate_system_memory(&s->sdram, NULL, "cubieboard.ram",
-                                         machine->ram_size);
     memory_region_add_subregion(get_system_memory(), AW_A10_SDRAM_BASE,
-                                &s->sdram);
+                                machine->ram);
 
     /* TODO create and connect IDE devices for ide_drive_get() */
 
     cubieboard_binfo.ram_size = machine->ram_size;
-    arm_load_kernel(&s->a10->cpu, machine, &cubieboard_binfo);
+    arm_load_kernel(&a10->cpu, machine, &cubieboard_binfo);
 }
 
 static void cubieboard_machine_init(MachineClass *mc)
@@ -84,6 +74,7 @@ static void cubieboard_machine_init(MachineClass *mc)
     mc->block_default_type = IF_IDE;
     mc->units_per_default_bus = 1;
     mc->ignore_memory_transaction_failures = true;
+    mc->default_ram_id = "cubieboard.ram";
 }
 
 DEFINE_MACHINE("cubieboard", cubieboard_machine_init)
diff --git a/hw/arm/digic_boards.c b/hw/arm/digic_boards.c
index ef3fc2b6a5..518a63e61d 100644
--- a/hw/arm/digic_boards.c
+++ b/hw/arm/digic_boards.c
@@ -35,39 +35,40 @@
 #include "hw/loader.h"
 #include "sysemu/sysemu.h"
 #include "sysemu/qtest.h"
+#include "qemu/units.h"
+#include "qemu/cutils.h"
 
 #define DIGIC4_ROM0_BASE      0xf0000000
 #define DIGIC4_ROM1_BASE      0xf8000000
 #define DIGIC4_ROM_MAX_SIZE   0x08000000
 
-typedef struct DigicBoardState {
-    DigicState *digic;
-    MemoryRegion ram;
-} DigicBoardState;
-
 typedef struct DigicBoard {
-    hwaddr ram_size;
-    void (*add_rom0)(DigicBoardState *, hwaddr, const char *);
+    void (*add_rom0)(DigicState *, hwaddr, const char *);
     const char *rom0_def_filename;
-    void (*add_rom1)(DigicBoardState *, hwaddr, const char *);
+    void (*add_rom1)(DigicState *, hwaddr, const char *);
     const char *rom1_def_filename;
 } DigicBoard;
 
-static void digic4_board_init(DigicBoard *board)
+static void digic4_board_init(MachineState *machine, DigicBoard *board)
 {
     Error *err = NULL;
+    DigicState *s = DIGIC(object_new(TYPE_DIGIC));
+    MachineClass *mc = MACHINE_GET_CLASS(machine);
 
-    DigicBoardState *s = g_new(DigicBoardState, 1);
+    if (machine->ram_size != mc->default_ram_size) {
+        char *sz = size_to_str(mc->default_ram_size);
+        error_report("Invalid RAM size, should be %s", sz);
+        g_free(sz);
+        exit(EXIT_FAILURE);
+    }
 
-    s->digic = DIGIC(object_new(TYPE_DIGIC));
-    object_property_set_bool(OBJECT(s->digic), true, "realized", &err);
+    object_property_set_bool(OBJECT(s), true, "realized", &err);
     if (err != NULL) {
         error_reportf_err(err, "Couldn't realize DIGIC SoC: ");
         exit(1);
     }
 
-    memory_region_allocate_system_memory(&s->ram, NULL, "ram", board->ram_size);
-    memory_region_add_subregion(get_system_memory(), 0, &s->ram);
+    memory_region_add_subregion(get_system_memory(), 0, machine->ram);
 
     if (board->add_rom0) {
         board->add_rom0(s, DIGIC4_ROM0_BASE, board->rom0_def_filename);
@@ -78,7 +79,7 @@ static void digic4_board_init(DigicBoard *board)
     }
 }
 
-static void digic_load_rom(DigicBoardState *s, hwaddr addr,
+static void digic_load_rom(DigicState *s, hwaddr addr,
                            hwaddr max_size, const char *def_filename)
 {
     target_long rom_size;
@@ -118,7 +119,7 @@ static void digic_load_rom(DigicBoardState *s, hwaddr addr,
  * Samsung K8P3215UQB
  * 64M Bit (4Mx16) Page Mode / Multi-Bank NOR Flash Memory
  */
-static void digic4_add_k8p3215uqb_rom(DigicBoardState *s, hwaddr addr,
+static void digic4_add_k8p3215uqb_rom(DigicState *s, hwaddr addr,
                                       const char *def_filename)
 {
 #define FLASH_K8P3215UQB_SIZE (4 * 1024 * 1024)
@@ -135,14 +136,13 @@ static void digic4_add_k8p3215uqb_rom(DigicBoardState *s, hwaddr addr,
 }
 
 static DigicBoard digic4_board_canon_a1100 = {
-    .ram_size = 64 * 1024 * 1024,
     .add_rom1 = digic4_add_k8p3215uqb_rom,
     .rom1_def_filename = "canon-a1100-rom1.bin",
 };
 
 static void canon_a1100_init(MachineState *machine)
 {
-    digic4_board_init(&digic4_board_canon_a1100);
+    digic4_board_init(machine, &digic4_board_canon_a1100);
 }
 
 static void canon_a1100_machine_init(MachineClass *mc)
@@ -150,6 +150,8 @@ static void canon_a1100_machine_init(MachineClass *mc)
     mc->desc = "Canon PowerShot A1100 IS";
     mc->init = &canon_a1100_init;
     mc->ignore_memory_transaction_failures = true;
+    mc->default_ram_size = 64 * MiB;
+    mc->default_ram_id = "ram";
 }
 
 DEFINE_MACHINE("canon-a1100", canon_a1100_machine_init)
diff --git a/hw/arm/highbank.c b/hw/arm/highbank.c
index 518d935fdf..ac9de9411e 100644
--- a/hw/arm/highbank.c
+++ b/hw/arm/highbank.c
@@ -236,7 +236,6 @@ enum cxmachines {
  */
 static void calxeda_init(MachineState *machine, enum cxmachines machine_id)
 {
-    ram_addr_t ram_size = machine->ram_size;
     DeviceState *dev = NULL;
     SysBusDevice *busdev;
     qemu_irq pic[128];
@@ -247,7 +246,6 @@ static void calxeda_init(MachineState *machine, enum cxmachines machine_id)
     qemu_irq cpu_virq[4];
     qemu_irq cpu_vfiq[4];
     MemoryRegion *sysram;
-    MemoryRegion *dram;
     MemoryRegion *sysmem;
     char *sysboot_filename;
 
@@ -290,10 +288,8 @@ static void calxeda_init(MachineState *machine, enum cxmachines machine_id)
     }
 
     sysmem = get_system_memory();
-    dram = g_new(MemoryRegion, 1);
-    memory_region_allocate_system_memory(dram, NULL, "highbank.dram", ram_size);
     /* SDRAM at address zero.  */
-    memory_region_add_subregion(sysmem, 0, dram);
+    memory_region_add_subregion(sysmem, 0, machine->ram);
 
     sysram = g_new(MemoryRegion, 1);
     memory_region_init_ram(sysram, NULL, "highbank.sysram", 0x8000,
@@ -387,7 +383,7 @@ static void calxeda_init(MachineState *machine, enum cxmachines machine_id)
 
     /* TODO create and connect IDE devices for ide_drive_get() */
 
-    highbank_binfo.ram_size = ram_size;
+    highbank_binfo.ram_size = machine->ram_size;
     /* highbank requires a dtb in order to boot, and the dtb will override
      * the board ID. The following value is ignored, so set it to -1 to be
      * clear that the value is meaningless.
@@ -430,6 +426,7 @@ static void highbank_class_init(ObjectClass *oc, void *data)
     mc->units_per_default_bus = 1;
     mc->max_cpus = 4;
     mc->ignore_memory_transaction_failures = true;
+    mc->default_ram_id = "highbank.dram";
 }
 
 static const TypeInfo highbank_type = {
@@ -448,6 +445,7 @@ static void midway_class_init(ObjectClass *oc, void *data)
     mc->units_per_default_bus = 1;
     mc->max_cpus = 4;
     mc->ignore_memory_transaction_failures = true;
+    mc->default_ram_id = "highbank.dram";
 }
 
 static const TypeInfo midway_type = {
diff --git a/hw/arm/imx25_pdk.c b/hw/arm/imx25_pdk.c
index c76fc2bd94..26713d9a7e 100644
--- a/hw/arm/imx25_pdk.c
+++ b/hw/arm/imx25_pdk.c
@@ -32,6 +32,7 @@
 #include "exec/address-spaces.h"
 #include "sysemu/qtest.h"
 #include "hw/i2c/i2c.h"
+#include "qemu/cutils.h"
 
 /* Memory map for PDK Emulation Baseboard:
  * 0x00000000-0x7fffffff See i.MX25 SOC fr support
@@ -58,7 +59,6 @@
 
 typedef struct IMX25PDK {
     FslIMX25State soc;
-    MemoryRegion ram;
     MemoryRegion ram_alias;
 } IMX25PDK;
 
@@ -66,6 +66,7 @@ static struct arm_boot_info imx25_pdk_binfo;
 
 static void imx25_pdk_init(MachineState *machine)
 {
+    MachineClass *mc = MACHINE_GET_CLASS(machine);
     IMX25PDK *s = g_new0(IMX25PDK, 1);
     unsigned int ram_size;
     unsigned int alias_offset;
@@ -78,16 +79,14 @@ static void imx25_pdk_init(MachineState *machine)
 
     /* We need to initialize our memory */
     if (machine->ram_size > (FSL_IMX25_SDRAM0_SIZE + FSL_IMX25_SDRAM1_SIZE)) {
-        warn_report("RAM size " RAM_ADDR_FMT " above max supported, "
-                    "reduced to %x", machine->ram_size,
-                    FSL_IMX25_SDRAM0_SIZE + FSL_IMX25_SDRAM1_SIZE);
-        machine->ram_size = FSL_IMX25_SDRAM0_SIZE + FSL_IMX25_SDRAM1_SIZE;
+        char *sz = size_to_str(mc->default_ram_size);
+        error_report("Invalid RAM size, should be %s", sz);
+        g_free(sz);
+        exit(EXIT_FAILURE);
     }
 
-    memory_region_allocate_system_memory(&s->ram, NULL, "imx25.ram",
-                                         machine->ram_size);
     memory_region_add_subregion(get_system_memory(), FSL_IMX25_SDRAM0_ADDR,
-                                &s->ram);
+                                machine->ram);
 
     /* initialize the alias memory if any */
     for (i = 0, ram_size = machine->ram_size, alias_offset = 0;
@@ -107,7 +106,8 @@ static void imx25_pdk_init(MachineState *machine)
 
         if (size < ram[i].size) {
             memory_region_init_alias(&s->ram_alias, NULL, "ram.alias",
-                                     &s->ram, alias_offset, ram[i].size - size);
+                                     machine->ram,
+                                     alias_offset, ram[i].size - size);
             memory_region_add_subregion(get_system_memory(),
                                         ram[i].addr + size, &s->ram_alias);
         }
@@ -135,6 +135,7 @@ static void imx25_pdk_machine_init(MachineClass *mc)
     mc->desc = "ARM i.MX25 PDK board (ARM926)";
     mc->init = imx25_pdk_init;
     mc->ignore_memory_transaction_failures = true;
+    mc->default_ram_id = "imx25.ram";
 }
 
 DEFINE_MACHINE("imx25-pdk", imx25_pdk_machine_init)
diff --git a/hw/arm/integratorcp.c b/hw/arm/integratorcp.c
index 0cd94d9f09..cc845b8534 100644
--- a/hw/arm/integratorcp.c
+++ b/hw/arm/integratorcp.c
@@ -585,7 +585,6 @@ static void integratorcp_init(MachineState *machine)
     Object *cpuobj;
     ARMCPU *cpu;
     MemoryRegion *address_space_mem = get_system_memory();
-    MemoryRegion *ram = g_new(MemoryRegion, 1);
     MemoryRegion *ram_alias = g_new(MemoryRegion, 1);
     qemu_irq pic[32];
     DeviceState *dev, *sic, *icp;
@@ -605,14 +604,13 @@ static void integratorcp_init(MachineState *machine)
 
     cpu = ARM_CPU(cpuobj);
 
-    memory_region_allocate_system_memory(ram, NULL, "integrator.ram",
-                                         ram_size);
     /* ??? On a real system the first 1Mb is mapped as SSRAM or boot flash.  */
     /* ??? RAM should repeat to fill physical memory space.  */
     /* SDRAM at address zero*/
-    memory_region_add_subregion(address_space_mem, 0, ram);
+    memory_region_add_subregion(address_space_mem, 0, machine->ram);
     /* And again at address 0x80000000 */
-    memory_region_init_alias(ram_alias, NULL, "ram.alias", ram, 0, ram_size);
+    memory_region_init_alias(ram_alias, NULL, "ram.alias", machine->ram,
+                             0, ram_size);
     memory_region_add_subregion(address_space_mem, 0x80000000, ram_alias);
 
     dev = qdev_create(NULL, TYPE_INTEGRATOR_CM);
@@ -660,6 +658,7 @@ static void integratorcp_machine_init(MachineClass *mc)
     mc->init = integratorcp_init;
     mc->ignore_memory_transaction_failures = true;
     mc->default_cpu_type = ARM_CPU_TYPE_NAME("arm926");
+    mc->default_ram_id = "integrator.ram";
 }
 
 DEFINE_MACHINE("integratorcp", integratorcp_machine_init)
diff --git a/hw/arm/kzm.c b/hw/arm/kzm.c
index 1d5ef289d5..34f6bcb491 100644
--- a/hw/arm/kzm.c
+++ b/hw/arm/kzm.c
@@ -25,6 +25,7 @@
 #include "hw/char/serial.h"
 #include "sysemu/qtest.h"
 #include "sysemu/sysemu.h"
+#include "qemu/cutils.h"
 
 /* Memory map for Kzm Emulation Baseboard:
  * 0x00000000-0x7fffffff See i.MX31 SOC for support
@@ -51,7 +52,6 @@
 
 typedef struct IMX31KZM {
     FslIMX31State soc;
-    MemoryRegion ram;
     MemoryRegion ram_alias;
 } IMX31KZM;
 
@@ -78,16 +78,14 @@ static void kzm_init(MachineState *machine)
 
     /* Check the amount of memory is compatible with the SOC */
     if (machine->ram_size > (FSL_IMX31_SDRAM0_SIZE + FSL_IMX31_SDRAM1_SIZE)) {
-        warn_report("RAM size " RAM_ADDR_FMT " above max supported, "
-                    "reduced to %x", machine->ram_size,
-                    FSL_IMX31_SDRAM0_SIZE + FSL_IMX31_SDRAM1_SIZE);
-        machine->ram_size = FSL_IMX31_SDRAM0_SIZE + FSL_IMX31_SDRAM1_SIZE;
+        char *sz = size_to_str(FSL_IMX31_SDRAM0_SIZE + FSL_IMX31_SDRAM1_SIZE);
+        error_report("RAM size more than %s is not supported", sz);
+        g_free(sz);
+        exit(EXIT_FAILURE);
     }
 
-    memory_region_allocate_system_memory(&s->ram, NULL, "kzm.ram",
-                                         machine->ram_size);
     memory_region_add_subregion(get_system_memory(), FSL_IMX31_SDRAM0_ADDR,
-                                &s->ram);
+                                machine->ram);
 
     /* initialize the alias memory if any */
     for (i = 0, ram_size = machine->ram_size, alias_offset = 0;
@@ -107,7 +105,8 @@ static void kzm_init(MachineState *machine)
 
         if (size < ram[i].size) {
             memory_region_init_alias(&s->ram_alias, NULL, "ram.alias",
-                                     &s->ram, alias_offset, ram[i].size - size);
+                                     machine->ram,
+                                     alias_offset, ram[i].size - size);
             memory_region_add_subregion(get_system_memory(),
                                         ram[i].addr + size, &s->ram_alias);
         }
@@ -139,6 +138,7 @@ static void kzm_machine_init(MachineClass *mc)
     mc->desc = "ARM KZM Emulation Baseboard (ARM1136)";
     mc->init = kzm_init;
     mc->ignore_memory_transaction_failures = true;
+    mc->default_ram_id = "kzm.ram";
 }
 
 DEFINE_MACHINE("kzm", kzm_machine_init)
diff --git a/hw/arm/mcimx6ul-evk.c b/hw/arm/mcimx6ul-evk.c
index e90b393a44..23a71ed378 100644
--- a/hw/arm/mcimx6ul-evk.c
+++ b/hw/arm/mcimx6ul-evk.c
@@ -19,15 +19,10 @@
 #include "qemu/error-report.h"
 #include "sysemu/qtest.h"
 
-typedef struct {
-    FslIMX6ULState soc;
-    MemoryRegion ram;
-} MCIMX6ULEVK;
-
 static void mcimx6ul_evk_init(MachineState *machine)
 {
     static struct arm_boot_info boot_info;
-    MCIMX6ULEVK *s = g_new0(MCIMX6ULEVK, 1);
+    FslIMX6ULState *s;
     int i;
 
     if (machine->ram_size > FSL_IMX6UL_MMDC_SIZE) {
@@ -43,15 +38,12 @@ static void mcimx6ul_evk_init(MachineState *machine)
         .nb_cpus = machine->smp.cpus,
     };
 
-    object_initialize_child(OBJECT(machine), "soc", &s->soc,  sizeof(s->soc),
-                            TYPE_FSL_IMX6UL, &error_fatal, NULL);
+    s = FSL_IMX6UL(object_new(TYPE_FSL_IMX6UL));
+    object_property_add_child(OBJECT(machine), "soc", OBJECT(s), &error_fatal);
+    object_property_set_bool(OBJECT(s), true, "realized", &error_fatal);
 
-    object_property_set_bool(OBJECT(&s->soc), true, "realized", &error_fatal);
-
-    memory_region_allocate_system_memory(&s->ram, NULL, "mcimx6ul-evk.ram",
-                                         machine->ram_size);
-    memory_region_add_subregion(get_system_memory(),
-                                FSL_IMX6UL_MMDC_ADDR, &s->ram);
+    memory_region_add_subregion(get_system_memory(), FSL_IMX6UL_MMDC_ADDR,
+                                machine->ram);
 
     for (i = 0; i < FSL_IMX6UL_NUM_USDHCS; i++) {
         BusState *bus;
@@ -61,7 +53,7 @@ static void mcimx6ul_evk_init(MachineState *machine)
 
         di = drive_get_next(IF_SD);
         blk = di ? blk_by_legacy_dinfo(di) : NULL;
-        bus = qdev_get_child_bus(DEVICE(&s->soc.usdhc[i]), "sd-bus");
+        bus = qdev_get_child_bus(DEVICE(&s->usdhc[i]), "sd-bus");
         carddev = qdev_create(bus, TYPE_SD_CARD);
         qdev_prop_set_drive(carddev, "drive", blk, &error_fatal);
         object_property_set_bool(OBJECT(carddev), true,
@@ -69,7 +61,7 @@ static void mcimx6ul_evk_init(MachineState *machine)
     }
 
     if (!qtest_enabled()) {
-        arm_load_kernel(&s->soc.cpu, machine, &boot_info);
+        arm_load_kernel(&s->cpu, machine, &boot_info);
     }
 }
 
@@ -78,5 +70,6 @@ static void mcimx6ul_evk_machine_init(MachineClass *mc)
     mc->desc = "Freescale i.MX6UL Evaluation Kit (Cortex A7)";
     mc->init = mcimx6ul_evk_init;
     mc->max_cpus = FSL_IMX6UL_NUM_CPUS;
+    mc->default_ram_id = "mcimx6ul-evk.ram";
 }
 DEFINE_MACHINE("mcimx6ul-evk", mcimx6ul_evk_machine_init)
diff --git a/hw/arm/mcimx7d-sabre.c b/hw/arm/mcimx7d-sabre.c
index 0d1f62d30a..de1e264217 100644
--- a/hw/arm/mcimx7d-sabre.c
+++ b/hw/arm/mcimx7d-sabre.c
@@ -21,15 +21,10 @@
 #include "qemu/error-report.h"
 #include "sysemu/qtest.h"
 
-typedef struct {
-    FslIMX7State soc;
-    MemoryRegion ram;
-} MCIMX7Sabre;
-
 static void mcimx7d_sabre_init(MachineState *machine)
 {
     static struct arm_boot_info boot_info;
-    MCIMX7Sabre *s = g_new0(MCIMX7Sabre, 1);
+    FslIMX7State *s;
     int i;
 
     if (machine->ram_size > FSL_IMX7_MMDC_SIZE) {
@@ -45,15 +40,12 @@ static void mcimx7d_sabre_init(MachineState *machine)
         .nb_cpus = machine->smp.cpus,
     };
 
-    object_initialize_child(OBJECT(machine), "soc",
-                            &s->soc, sizeof(s->soc),
-                            TYPE_FSL_IMX7, &error_fatal, NULL);
-    object_property_set_bool(OBJECT(&s->soc), true, "realized", &error_fatal);
+    s = FSL_IMX7(object_new(TYPE_FSL_IMX7));
+    object_property_add_child(OBJECT(machine), "soc", OBJECT(s), &error_fatal);
+    object_property_set_bool(OBJECT(s), true, "realized", &error_fatal);
 
-    memory_region_allocate_system_memory(&s->ram, NULL, "mcimx7d-sabre.ram",
-                                         machine->ram_size);
-    memory_region_add_subregion(get_system_memory(),
-                                FSL_IMX7_MMDC_ADDR, &s->ram);
+    memory_region_add_subregion(get_system_memory(), FSL_IMX7_MMDC_ADDR,
+                                machine->ram);
 
     for (i = 0; i < FSL_IMX7_NUM_USDHCS; i++) {
         BusState *bus;
@@ -63,7 +55,7 @@ static void mcimx7d_sabre_init(MachineState *machine)
 
         di = drive_get_next(IF_SD);
         blk = di ? blk_by_legacy_dinfo(di) : NULL;
-        bus = qdev_get_child_bus(DEVICE(&s->soc.usdhc[i]), "sd-bus");
+        bus = qdev_get_child_bus(DEVICE(&s->usdhc[i]), "sd-bus");
         carddev = qdev_create(bus, TYPE_SD_CARD);
         qdev_prop_set_drive(carddev, "drive", blk, &error_fatal);
         object_property_set_bool(OBJECT(carddev), true,
@@ -71,7 +63,7 @@ static void mcimx7d_sabre_init(MachineState *machine)
     }
 
     if (!qtest_enabled()) {
-        arm_load_kernel(&s->soc.cpu[0], machine, &boot_info);
+        arm_load_kernel(&s->cpu[0], machine, &boot_info);
     }
 }
 
@@ -80,5 +72,6 @@ static void mcimx7d_sabre_machine_init(MachineClass *mc)
     mc->desc = "Freescale i.MX7 DUAL SABRE (Cortex A7)";
     mc->init = mcimx7d_sabre_init;
     mc->max_cpus = FSL_IMX7_NUM_CPUS;
+    mc->default_ram_id = "mcimx7d-sabre.ram";
 }
 DEFINE_MACHINE("mcimx7d-sabre", mcimx7d_sabre_machine_init)
diff --git a/hw/arm/mps2-tz.c b/hw/arm/mps2-tz.c
index f8b620bcc6..a8dea7dde1 100644
--- a/hw/arm/mps2-tz.c
+++ b/hw/arm/mps2-tz.c
@@ -39,6 +39,7 @@
 
 #include "qemu/osdep.h"
 #include "qemu/units.h"
+#include "qemu/cutils.h"
 #include "qapi/error.h"
 #include "qemu/error-report.h"
 #include "hw/arm/boot.h"
@@ -79,7 +80,6 @@ typedef struct {
     MachineState parent;
 
     ARMSSE iotkit;
-    MemoryRegion psram;
     MemoryRegion ssram[3];
     MemoryRegion ssram1_m;
     MPS2SCC scc;
@@ -388,6 +388,13 @@ static void mps2tz_common_init(MachineState *machine)
         exit(1);
     }
 
+    if (machine->ram_size != mc->default_ram_size) {
+        char *sz = size_to_str(mc->default_ram_size);
+        error_report("Invalid RAM size, should be %s", sz);
+        g_free(sz);
+        exit(EXIT_FAILURE);
+    }
+
     sysbus_init_child_obj(OBJECT(machine), "iotkit", &mms->iotkit,
                           sizeof(mms->iotkit), mmc->armsse_type);
     iotkitdev = DEVICE(&mms->iotkit);
@@ -458,9 +465,7 @@ static void mps2tz_common_init(MachineState *machine)
      * tradeoffs. For QEMU they're all just RAM, though. We arbitrarily
      * call the 16MB our "system memory", as it's the largest lump.
      */
-    memory_region_allocate_system_memory(&mms->psram,
-                                         NULL, "mps.ram", 16 * MiB);
-    memory_region_add_subregion(system_memory, 0x80000000, &mms->psram);
+    memory_region_add_subregion(system_memory, 0x80000000, machine->ram);
 
     /* The overflow IRQs for all UARTs are ORed together.
      * Tx, Rx and "combined" IRQs are sent to the NVIC separately.
@@ -642,6 +647,8 @@ static void mps2tz_class_init(ObjectClass *oc, void *data)
 
     mc->init = mps2tz_common_init;
     iic->check = mps2_tz_idau_check;
+    mc->default_ram_size = 16 * MiB;
+    mc->default_ram_id = "mps.ram";
 }
 
 static void mps2tz_an505_class_init(ObjectClass *oc, void *data)
diff --git a/hw/arm/mps2.c b/hw/arm/mps2.c
index d002b126d3..f246213206 100644
--- a/hw/arm/mps2.c
+++ b/hw/arm/mps2.c
@@ -24,6 +24,7 @@
 
 #include "qemu/osdep.h"
 #include "qemu/units.h"
+#include "qemu/cutils.h"
 #include "qapi/error.h"
 #include "qemu/error-report.h"
 #include "hw/arm/boot.h"
@@ -55,7 +56,6 @@ typedef struct {
     MachineState parent;
 
     ARMv7MState armv7m;
-    MemoryRegion psram;
     MemoryRegion ssram1;
     MemoryRegion ssram1_m;
     MemoryRegion ssram23;
@@ -118,6 +118,13 @@ static void mps2_common_init(MachineState *machine)
         exit(1);
     }
 
+    if (machine->ram_size != mc->default_ram_size) {
+        char *sz = size_to_str(mc->default_ram_size);
+        error_report("Invalid RAM size, should be %s", sz);
+        g_free(sz);
+        exit(EXIT_FAILURE);
+    }
+
     /* The FPGA images have an odd combination of different RAMs,
      * because in hardware they are different implementations and
      * connected to different buses, giving varying performance/size
@@ -146,9 +153,7 @@ static void mps2_common_init(MachineState *machine)
      * This is of no use for QEMU so we don't implement it (as if
      * zbt_boot_ctrl is always zero).
      */
-    memory_region_allocate_system_memory(&mms->psram,
-                                         NULL, "mps.ram", 16 * MiB);
-    memory_region_add_subregion(system_memory, 0x21000000, &mms->psram);
+    memory_region_add_subregion(system_memory, 0x21000000, machine->ram);
 
     switch (mmc->fpga_type) {
     case FPGA_AN385:
@@ -338,6 +343,8 @@ static void mps2_class_init(ObjectClass *oc, void *data)
 
     mc->init = mps2_common_init;
     mc->max_cpus = 1;
+    mc->default_ram_size = 16 * MiB;
+    mc->default_ram_id = "mps.ram";
 }
 
 static void mps2_an385_class_init(ObjectClass *oc, void *data)
diff --git a/hw/arm/musicpal.c b/hw/arm/musicpal.c
index dc551bb0c0..db8b03cb83 100644
--- a/hw/arm/musicpal.c
+++ b/hw/arm/musicpal.c
@@ -32,6 +32,7 @@
 #include "sysemu/runstate.h"
 #include "exec/address-spaces.h"
 #include "ui/pixel_ops.h"
+#include "qemu/cutils.h"
 
 #define MP_MISC_BASE            0x80002000
 #define MP_MISC_SIZE            0x00001000
@@ -1589,16 +1590,21 @@ static void musicpal_init(MachineState *machine)
     int i;
     unsigned long flash_size;
     DriveInfo *dinfo;
+    MachineClass *mc = MACHINE_GET_CLASS(machine);
     MemoryRegion *address_space_mem = get_system_memory();
-    MemoryRegion *ram = g_new(MemoryRegion, 1);
     MemoryRegion *sram = g_new(MemoryRegion, 1);
 
+    /* For now we use a fixed - the original - RAM size */
+    if (machine->ram_size != mc->default_ram_size) {
+        char *sz = size_to_str(mc->default_ram_size);
+        error_report("Invalid RAM size, should be %s", sz);
+        g_free(sz);
+        exit(EXIT_FAILURE);
+    }
+
     cpu = ARM_CPU(cpu_create(machine->cpu_type));
 
-    /* For now we use a fixed - the original - RAM size */
-    memory_region_allocate_system_memory(ram, NULL, "musicpal.ram",
-                                         MP_RAM_DEFAULT_SIZE);
-    memory_region_add_subregion(address_space_mem, 0, ram);
+    memory_region_add_subregion(address_space_mem, 0, machine->ram);
 
     memory_region_init_ram(sram, NULL, "musicpal.sram", MP_SRAM_SIZE,
                            &error_fatal);
@@ -1714,6 +1720,8 @@ static void musicpal_machine_init(MachineClass *mc)
     mc->init = musicpal_init;
     mc->ignore_memory_transaction_failures = true;
     mc->default_cpu_type = ARM_CPU_TYPE_NAME("arm926");
+    mc->default_ram_size = MP_RAM_DEFAULT_SIZE;
+    mc->default_ram_id = "musicpal.ram";
 }
 
 DEFINE_MACHINE("musicpal", musicpal_machine_init)
diff --git a/hw/arm/nseries.c b/hw/arm/nseries.c
index 3fd196fb30..eae800b5c1 100644
--- a/hw/arm/nseries.c
+++ b/hw/arm/nseries.c
@@ -47,7 +47,6 @@
 
 /* Nokia N8x0 support */
 struct n800_s {
-    MemoryRegion sdram;
     struct omap_mpu_state_s *mpu;
 
     struct rfbi_chip_s blizzard;
@@ -1311,13 +1310,19 @@ static void n8x0_init(MachineState *machine,
                       struct arm_boot_info *binfo, int model)
 {
     struct n800_s *s = (struct n800_s *) g_malloc0(sizeof(*s));
-    uint64_t sdram_size = binfo->ram_size;
+    MachineClass *mc = MACHINE_GET_CLASS(machine);
 
-    memory_region_allocate_system_memory(&s->sdram, NULL, "omap2.dram",
-                                         sdram_size);
-    memory_region_add_subregion(get_system_memory(), OMAP2_Q2_BASE, &s->sdram);
+    if (machine->ram_size != mc->default_ram_size) {
+        char *sz = size_to_str(mc->default_ram_size);
+        error_report("Invalid RAM size, should be %s", sz);
+        g_free(sz);
+        exit(EXIT_FAILURE);
+    }
 
-    s->mpu = omap2420_mpu_init(&s->sdram, machine->cpu_type);
+    memory_region_add_subregion(get_system_memory(), OMAP2_Q2_BASE,
+                                machine->ram);
+
+    s->mpu = omap2420_mpu_init(machine->ram, machine->cpu_type);
 
     /* Setup peripherals
      *
@@ -1383,9 +1388,8 @@ static void n8x0_init(MachineState *machine,
          *
          * The code above is for loading the `zImage' file from Nokia
          * images.  */
-        load_image_targphys(option_rom[0].name,
-                            OMAP2_Q2_BASE + 0x400000,
-                            sdram_size - 0x400000);
+        load_image_targphys(option_rom[0].name, OMAP2_Q2_BASE + 0x400000,
+                            machine->ram_size - 0x400000);
 
         n800_setup_nolo_tags(nolo_tags);
         cpu_physical_memory_write(OMAP2_SRAM_BASE, nolo_tags, 0x10000);
@@ -1395,16 +1399,12 @@ static void n8x0_init(MachineState *machine,
 
 static struct arm_boot_info n800_binfo = {
     .loader_start = OMAP2_Q2_BASE,
-    /* Actually two chips of 0x4000000 bytes each */
-    .ram_size = 0x08000000,
     .board_id = 0x4f7,
     .atag_board = n800_atag_setup,
 };
 
 static struct arm_boot_info n810_binfo = {
     .loader_start = OMAP2_Q2_BASE,
-    /* Actually two chips of 0x4000000 bytes each */
-    .ram_size = 0x08000000,
     /* 0x60c and 0x6bf (WiMAX Edition) have been assigned but are not
      * used by some older versions of the bootloader and 5555 is used
      * instead (including versions that shipped with many devices).  */
@@ -1431,6 +1431,9 @@ static void n800_class_init(ObjectClass *oc, void *data)
     mc->default_boot_order = "";
     mc->ignore_memory_transaction_failures = true;
     mc->default_cpu_type = ARM_CPU_TYPE_NAME("arm1136-r2");
+    /* Actually two chips of 0x4000000 bytes each */
+    mc->default_ram_size = 0x08000000;
+    mc->default_ram_id = "omap2.dram";
 }
 
 static const TypeInfo n800_type = {
@@ -1448,6 +1451,9 @@ static void n810_class_init(ObjectClass *oc, void *data)
     mc->default_boot_order = "";
     mc->ignore_memory_transaction_failures = true;
     mc->default_cpu_type = ARM_CPU_TYPE_NAME("arm1136-r2");
+    /* Actually two chips of 0x4000000 bytes each */
+    mc->default_ram_size = 0x08000000;
+    mc->default_ram_id = "omap2.dram";
 }
 
 static const TypeInfo n810_type = {
diff --git a/hw/arm/omap_sx1.c b/hw/arm/omap_sx1.c
index be245714db..2bebab4171 100644
--- a/hw/arm/omap_sx1.c
+++ b/hw/arm/omap_sx1.c
@@ -35,6 +35,7 @@
 #include "sysemu/qtest.h"
 #include "exec/address-spaces.h"
 #include "cpu.h"
+#include "qemu/cutils.h"
 
 /*****************************************************************************/
 /* Siemens SX1 Cellphone V1 */
@@ -102,8 +103,8 @@ static struct arm_boot_info sx1_binfo = {
 static void sx1_init(MachineState *machine, const int version)
 {
     struct omap_mpu_state_s *mpu;
+    MachineClass *mc = MACHINE_GET_CLASS(machine);
     MemoryRegion *address_space = get_system_memory();
-    MemoryRegion *dram = g_new(MemoryRegion, 1);
     MemoryRegion *flash = g_new(MemoryRegion, 1);
     MemoryRegion *cs = g_new(MemoryRegion, 4);
     static uint32_t cs0val = 0x00213090;
@@ -115,15 +116,20 @@ static void sx1_init(MachineState *machine, const int version)
     uint32_t flash_size = flash0_size;
     int be;
 
+    if (machine->ram_size != mc->default_ram_size) {
+        char *sz = size_to_str(mc->default_ram_size);
+        error_report("Invalid RAM size, should be %s", sz);
+        g_free(sz);
+        exit(EXIT_FAILURE);
+    }
+
     if (version == 2) {
         flash_size = flash2_size;
     }
 
-    memory_region_allocate_system_memory(dram, NULL, "omap1.dram",
-                                         sx1_binfo.ram_size);
-    memory_region_add_subregion(address_space, OMAP_EMIFF_BASE, dram);
+    memory_region_add_subregion(address_space, OMAP_EMIFF_BASE, machine->ram);
 
-    mpu = omap310_mpu_init(dram, machine->cpu_type);
+    mpu = omap310_mpu_init(machine->ram, machine->cpu_type);
 
     /* External Flash (EMIFS) */
     memory_region_init_ram(flash, NULL, "omap_sx1.flash0-0", flash_size,
@@ -223,6 +229,8 @@ static void sx1_machine_v2_class_init(ObjectClass *oc, void *data)
     mc->init = sx1_init_v2;
     mc->ignore_memory_transaction_failures = true;
     mc->default_cpu_type = ARM_CPU_TYPE_NAME("ti925t");
+    mc->default_ram_size = sdram_size;
+    mc->default_ram_id = "omap1.dram";
 }
 
 static const TypeInfo sx1_machine_v2_type = {
@@ -239,6 +247,8 @@ static void sx1_machine_v1_class_init(ObjectClass *oc, void *data)
     mc->init = sx1_init_v1;
     mc->ignore_memory_transaction_failures = true;
     mc->default_cpu_type = ARM_CPU_TYPE_NAME("ti925t");
+    mc->default_ram_size = sdram_size;
+    mc->default_ram_id = "omap1.dram";
 }
 
 static const TypeInfo sx1_machine_v1_type = {
diff --git a/hw/arm/palm.c b/hw/arm/palm.c
index 72eca8cc55..99554bda19 100644
--- a/hw/arm/palm.c
+++ b/hw/arm/palm.c
@@ -31,6 +31,7 @@
 #include "hw/loader.h"
 #include "exec/address-spaces.h"
 #include "cpu.h"
+#include "qemu/cutils.h"
 
 static uint64_t static_read(void *opaque, hwaddr offset, unsigned size)
 {
@@ -195,15 +196,21 @@ static void palmte_init(MachineState *machine)
     static uint32_t cs2val = 0x0000e1a0;
     static uint32_t cs3val = 0xe1a0e1a0;
     int rom_size, rom_loaded = 0;
-    MemoryRegion *dram = g_new(MemoryRegion, 1);
+    MachineClass *mc = MACHINE_GET_CLASS(machine);
     MemoryRegion *flash = g_new(MemoryRegion, 1);
     MemoryRegion *cs = g_new(MemoryRegion, 4);
 
-    memory_region_allocate_system_memory(dram, NULL, "omap1.dram",
-                                         palmte_binfo.ram_size);
-    memory_region_add_subregion(address_space_mem, OMAP_EMIFF_BASE, dram);
+    if (machine->ram_size != mc->default_ram_size) {
+        char *sz = size_to_str(mc->default_ram_size);
+        error_report("Invalid RAM size, should be %s", sz);
+        g_free(sz);
+        exit(EXIT_FAILURE);
+    }
 
-    mpu = omap310_mpu_init(dram, machine->cpu_type);
+    memory_region_add_subregion(address_space_mem, OMAP_EMIFF_BASE,
+                                machine->ram);
+
+    mpu = omap310_mpu_init(machine->ram, machine->cpu_type);
 
     /* External Flash (EMIFS) */
     memory_region_init_ram(flash, NULL, "palmte.flash", flash_size,
@@ -265,6 +272,8 @@ static void palmte_machine_init(MachineClass *mc)
     mc->init = palmte_init;
     mc->ignore_memory_transaction_failures = true;
     mc->default_cpu_type = ARM_CPU_TYPE_NAME("ti925t");
+    mc->default_ram_size = 0x02000000;
+    mc->default_ram_id = "omap1.dram";
 }
 
 DEFINE_MACHINE("cheetah", palmte_machine_init)
diff --git a/hw/arm/raspi.c b/hw/arm/raspi.c
index 90ad9b8115..acd2bb794d 100644
--- a/hw/arm/raspi.c
+++ b/hw/arm/raspi.c
@@ -39,7 +39,6 @@ typedef struct RaspiMachineState {
     MachineState parent_obj;
     /*< public >*/
     BCM283XState soc;
-    MemoryRegion ram;
 } RaspiMachineState;
 
 typedef struct RaspiMachineClass {
@@ -277,16 +276,14 @@ static void raspi_machine_init(MachineState *machine)
         exit(1);
     }
 
-    /* Allocate and map RAM */
-    memory_region_allocate_system_memory(&s->ram, OBJECT(machine), "ram",
-                                         machine->ram_size);
     /* FIXME: Remove when we have custom CPU address space support */
-    memory_region_add_subregion_overlap(get_system_memory(), 0, &s->ram, 0);
+    memory_region_add_subregion_overlap(get_system_memory(), 0,
+                                        machine->ram, 0);
 
     /* Setup the SOC */
     object_initialize_child(OBJECT(machine), "soc", &s->soc, sizeof(s->soc),
                             board_soc_type(board_rev), &error_abort, NULL);
-    object_property_add_const_link(OBJECT(&s->soc), "ram", OBJECT(&s->ram),
+    object_property_add_const_link(OBJECT(&s->soc), "ram", OBJECT(machine->ram),
                                    &error_abort);
     object_property_set_int(OBJECT(&s->soc), board_rev, "board-rev",
                             &error_abort);
@@ -324,6 +321,7 @@ static void raspi_machine_class_init(ObjectClass *oc, void *data)
     mc->no_cdrom = 1;
     mc->default_cpus = mc->min_cpus = mc->max_cpus = cores_count(board_rev);
     mc->default_ram_size = board_ram_size(board_rev);
+    mc->default_ram_id = "ram";
     if (board_version(board_rev) == 2) {
         mc->ignore_memory_transaction_failures = true;
     }
diff --git a/hw/arm/sabrelite.c b/hw/arm/sabrelite.c
index 96cc455c5c..e31694bb92 100644
--- a/hw/arm/sabrelite.c
+++ b/hw/arm/sabrelite.c
@@ -19,11 +19,6 @@
 #include "qemu/error-report.h"
 #include "sysemu/qtest.h"
 
-typedef struct IMX6Sabrelite {
-    FslIMX6State soc;
-    MemoryRegion ram;
-} IMX6Sabrelite;
-
 static struct arm_boot_info sabrelite_binfo = {
     /* DDR memory start */
     .loader_start = FSL_IMX6_MMDC_ADDR,
@@ -45,7 +40,7 @@ static void sabrelite_reset_secondary(ARMCPU *cpu,
 
 static void sabrelite_init(MachineState *machine)
 {
-    IMX6Sabrelite *s = g_new0(IMX6Sabrelite, 1);
+    FslIMX6State *s;
     Error *err = NULL;
 
     /* Check the amount of memory is compatible with the SOC */
@@ -55,19 +50,16 @@ static void sabrelite_init(MachineState *machine)
         exit(1);
     }
 
-    object_initialize_child(OBJECT(machine), "soc", &s->soc, sizeof(s->soc),
-                            TYPE_FSL_IMX6, &error_abort, NULL);
-
-    object_property_set_bool(OBJECT(&s->soc), true, "realized", &err);
+    s = FSL_IMX6(object_new(TYPE_FSL_IMX6));
+    object_property_add_child(OBJECT(machine), "soc", OBJECT(s), &error_fatal);
+    object_property_set_bool(OBJECT(s), true, "realized", &err);
     if (err != NULL) {
         error_report("%s", error_get_pretty(err));
         exit(1);
     }
 
-    memory_region_allocate_system_memory(&s->ram, NULL, "sabrelite.ram",
-                                         machine->ram_size);
     memory_region_add_subregion(get_system_memory(), FSL_IMX6_MMDC_ADDR,
-                                &s->ram);
+                                machine->ram);
 
     {
         /*
@@ -78,7 +70,7 @@ static void sabrelite_init(MachineState *machine)
         /* Add the sst25vf016b NOR FLASH memory to first SPI */
         Object *spi_dev;
 
-        spi_dev = object_resolve_path_component(OBJECT(&s->soc), "spi1");
+        spi_dev = object_resolve_path_component(OBJECT(s), "spi1");
         if (spi_dev) {
             SSIBus *spi_bus;
 
@@ -109,7 +101,7 @@ static void sabrelite_init(MachineState *machine)
     sabrelite_binfo.secondary_cpu_reset_hook = sabrelite_reset_secondary;
 
     if (!qtest_enabled()) {
-        arm_load_kernel(&s->soc.cpu[0], machine, &sabrelite_binfo);
+        arm_load_kernel(&s->cpu[0], machine, &sabrelite_binfo);
     }
 }
 
@@ -119,6 +111,7 @@ static void sabrelite_machine_init(MachineClass *mc)
     mc->init = sabrelite_init;
     mc->max_cpus = FSL_IMX6_NUM_CPUS;
     mc->ignore_memory_transaction_failures = true;
+    mc->default_ram_id = "sabrelite.ram";
 }
 
 DEFINE_MACHINE("sabrelite", sabrelite_machine_init)
diff --git a/hw/arm/sbsa-ref.c b/hw/arm/sbsa-ref.c
index 9b5bcb5634..1cba9fc302 100644
--- a/hw/arm/sbsa-ref.c
+++ b/hw/arm/sbsa-ref.c
@@ -593,7 +593,6 @@ static void sbsa_ref_init(MachineState *machine)
     MachineClass *mc = MACHINE_GET_CLASS(machine);
     MemoryRegion *sysmem = get_system_memory();
     MemoryRegion *secure_sysmem = g_new(MemoryRegion, 1);
-    MemoryRegion *ram = g_new(MemoryRegion, 1);
     bool firmware_loaded;
     const CPUArchIdList *possible_cpus;
     int n, sbsa_max_cpus;
@@ -685,9 +684,8 @@ static void sbsa_ref_init(MachineState *machine)
         object_unref(cpuobj);
     }
 
-    memory_region_allocate_system_memory(ram, NULL, "sbsa-ref.ram",
-                                         machine->ram_size);
-    memory_region_add_subregion(sysmem, sbsa_ref_memmap[SBSA_MEM].base, ram);
+    memory_region_add_subregion(sysmem, sbsa_ref_memmap[SBSA_MEM].base,
+                                machine->ram);
 
     create_fdt(sms);
 
@@ -785,6 +783,7 @@ static void sbsa_ref_class_init(ObjectClass *oc, void *data)
     mc->block_default_type = IF_IDE;
     mc->no_cdrom = 1;
     mc->default_ram_size = 1 * GiB;
+    mc->default_ram_id = "sbsa-ref.ram";
     mc->default_cpus = 4;
     mc->possible_cpu_arch_ids = sbsa_ref_possible_cpu_arch_ids;
     mc->cpu_index_to_instance_props = sbsa_ref_cpu_index_to_props;
diff --git a/hw/arm/versatilepb.c b/hw/arm/versatilepb.c
index e86af01537..f3c4a50b19 100644
--- a/hw/arm/versatilepb.c
+++ b/hw/arm/versatilepb.c
@@ -184,7 +184,6 @@ static void versatile_init(MachineState *machine, int board_id)
     Object *cpuobj;
     ARMCPU *cpu;
     MemoryRegion *sysmem = get_system_memory();
-    MemoryRegion *ram = g_new(MemoryRegion, 1);
     qemu_irq pic[32];
     qemu_irq sic[32];
     DeviceState *dev, *sysctl;
@@ -220,11 +219,9 @@ static void versatile_init(MachineState *machine, int board_id)
 
     cpu = ARM_CPU(cpuobj);
 
-    memory_region_allocate_system_memory(ram, NULL, "versatile.ram",
-                                         machine->ram_size);
     /* ??? RAM should repeat to fill physical memory space.  */
     /* SDRAM at address zero.  */
-    memory_region_add_subregion(sysmem, 0, ram);
+    memory_region_add_subregion(sysmem, 0, machine->ram);
 
     sysctl = qdev_create(NULL, "realview_sysctl");
     qdev_prop_set_uint32(sysctl, "sys_id", 0x41007004);
@@ -398,6 +395,7 @@ static void versatilepb_class_init(ObjectClass *oc, void *data)
     mc->block_default_type = IF_SCSI;
     mc->ignore_memory_transaction_failures = true;
     mc->default_cpu_type = ARM_CPU_TYPE_NAME("arm926");
+    mc->default_ram_id = "versatile.ram";
 }
 
 static const TypeInfo versatilepb_type = {
@@ -415,6 +413,7 @@ static void versatileab_class_init(ObjectClass *oc, void *data)
     mc->block_default_type = IF_SCSI;
     mc->ignore_memory_transaction_failures = true;
     mc->default_cpu_type = ARM_CPU_TYPE_NAME("arm926");
+    mc->default_ram_id = "versatile.ram";
 }
 
 static const TypeInfo versatileab_type = {
diff --git a/hw/arm/vexpress.c b/hw/arm/vexpress.c
index 4673a88a8d..ed683eeea5 100644
--- a/hw/arm/vexpress.c
+++ b/hw/arm/vexpress.c
@@ -273,7 +273,6 @@ static void a9_daughterboard_init(const VexpressMachineState *vms,
 {
     MachineState *machine = MACHINE(vms);
     MemoryRegion *sysmem = get_system_memory();
-    MemoryRegion *ram = g_new(MemoryRegion, 1);
     MemoryRegion *lowram = g_new(MemoryRegion, 1);
     ram_addr_t low_ram_size;
 
@@ -283,8 +282,6 @@ static void a9_daughterboard_init(const VexpressMachineState *vms,
         exit(1);
     }
 
-    memory_region_allocate_system_memory(ram, NULL, "vexpress.highmem",
-                                         ram_size);
     low_ram_size = ram_size;
     if (low_ram_size > 0x4000000) {
         low_ram_size = 0x4000000;
@@ -293,9 +290,10 @@ static void a9_daughterboard_init(const VexpressMachineState *vms,
      * address space should in theory be remappable to various
      * things including ROM or RAM; we always map the RAM there.
      */
-    memory_region_init_alias(lowram, NULL, "vexpress.lowmem", ram, 0, low_ram_size);
+    memory_region_init_alias(lowram, NULL, "vexpress.lowmem", machine->ram,
+                             0, low_ram_size);
     memory_region_add_subregion(sysmem, 0x0, lowram);
-    memory_region_add_subregion(sysmem, 0x60000000, ram);
+    memory_region_add_subregion(sysmem, 0x60000000, machine->ram);
 
     /* 0x1e000000 A9MPCore (SCU) private memory region */
     init_cpus(machine, cpu_type, TYPE_A9MPCORE_PRIV, 0x1e000000, pic,
@@ -360,7 +358,6 @@ static void a15_daughterboard_init(const VexpressMachineState *vms,
 {
     MachineState *machine = MACHINE(vms);
     MemoryRegion *sysmem = get_system_memory();
-    MemoryRegion *ram = g_new(MemoryRegion, 1);
     MemoryRegion *sram = g_new(MemoryRegion, 1);
 
     {
@@ -375,10 +372,8 @@ static void a15_daughterboard_init(const VexpressMachineState *vms,
         }
     }
 
-    memory_region_allocate_system_memory(ram, NULL, "vexpress.highmem",
-                                         ram_size);
     /* RAM is from 0x80000000 upwards; there is no low-memory alias for it. */
-    memory_region_add_subregion(sysmem, 0x80000000, ram);
+    memory_region_add_subregion(sysmem, 0x80000000, machine->ram);
 
     /* 0x2c000000 A15MPCore private memory region (GIC) */
     init_cpus(machine, cpu_type, TYPE_A15MPCORE_PRIV,
@@ -795,6 +790,7 @@ static void vexpress_class_init(ObjectClass *oc, void *data)
     mc->init = vexpress_common_init;
     mc->max_cpus = 4;
     mc->ignore_memory_transaction_failures = true;
+    mc->default_ram_id = "vexpress.highmem";
 }
 
 static void vexpress_a9_class_init(ObjectClass *oc, void *data)
diff --git a/hw/arm/virt.c b/hw/arm/virt.c
index f788fe27d6..e591a126e7 100644
--- a/hw/arm/virt.c
+++ b/hw/arm/virt.c
@@ -1512,7 +1512,6 @@ static void machvirt_init(MachineState *machine)
     MemoryRegion *sysmem = get_system_memory();
     MemoryRegion *secure_sysmem = NULL;
     int n, virt_max_cpus;
-    MemoryRegion *ram = g_new(MemoryRegion, 1);
     bool firmware_loaded;
     bool aarch64 = true;
     bool has_ged = !vmc->no_ged;
@@ -1706,9 +1705,8 @@ static void machvirt_init(MachineState *machine)
         }
     }
 
-    memory_region_allocate_system_memory(ram, NULL, "mach-virt.ram",
-                                         machine->ram_size);
-    memory_region_add_subregion(sysmem, vms->memmap[VIRT_MEM].base, ram);
+    memory_region_add_subregion(sysmem, vms->memmap[VIRT_MEM].base,
+                                machine->ram);
     if (machine->device_memory) {
         memory_region_add_subregion(sysmem, machine->device_memory->base,
                                     &machine->device_memory->mr);
@@ -2058,6 +2056,7 @@ static void virt_machine_class_init(ObjectClass *oc, void *data)
     hc->unplug_request = virt_machine_device_unplug_request_cb;
     mc->numa_mem_supported = true;
     mc->auto_enable_numa_with_memhp = true;
+    mc->default_ram_id = "mach-virt.ram";
 }
 
 static void virt_instance_init(Object *obj)
diff --git a/hw/arm/xilinx_zynq.c b/hw/arm/xilinx_zynq.c
index 3a0fa5b23f..3d439a45d5 100644
--- a/hw/arm/xilinx_zynq.c
+++ b/hw/arm/xilinx_zynq.c
@@ -158,16 +158,20 @@ static inline void zynq_init_spi_flashes(uint32_t base_addr, qemu_irq irq,
 
 static void zynq_init(MachineState *machine)
 {
-    ram_addr_t ram_size = machine->ram_size;
     ARMCPU *cpu;
     MemoryRegion *address_space_mem = get_system_memory();
-    MemoryRegion *ext_ram = g_new(MemoryRegion, 1);
     MemoryRegion *ocm_ram = g_new(MemoryRegion, 1);
     DeviceState *dev;
     SysBusDevice *busdev;
     qemu_irq pic[64];
     int n;
 
+    /* max 2GB ram */
+    if (machine->ram_size > 2 * GiB) {
+        error_report("RAM size more than 2 GiB is not supported");
+        exit(EXIT_FAILURE);
+    }
+
     cpu = ARM_CPU(object_new(machine->cpu_type));
 
     /* By default A9 CPUs have EL3 enabled.  This board does not
@@ -184,15 +188,8 @@ static void zynq_init(MachineState *machine)
                             &error_fatal);
     object_property_set_bool(OBJECT(cpu), true, "realized", &error_fatal);
 
-    /* max 2GB ram */
-    if (ram_size > 0x80000000) {
-        ram_size = 0x80000000;
-    }
-
     /* DDR remapped to address zero.  */
-    memory_region_allocate_system_memory(ext_ram, NULL, "zynq.ext_ram",
-                                         ram_size);
-    memory_region_add_subregion(address_space_mem, 0, ext_ram);
+    memory_region_add_subregion(address_space_mem, 0, machine->ram);
 
     /* 256K of on-chip memory */
     memory_region_init_ram(ocm_ram, NULL, "zynq.ocm_ram", 256 * KiB,
@@ -300,7 +297,7 @@ static void zynq_init(MachineState *machine)
     sysbus_connect_irq(busdev, 0, pic[40 - IRQ_OFFSET]);
     sysbus_mmio_map(busdev, 0, 0xF8007000);
 
-    zynq_binfo.ram_size = ram_size;
+    zynq_binfo.ram_size = machine->ram_size;
     zynq_binfo.nb_cpus = 1;
     zynq_binfo.board_id = 0xd32;
     zynq_binfo.loader_start = 0;
@@ -318,6 +315,7 @@ static void zynq_machine_init(MachineClass *mc)
     mc->no_sdcard = 1;
     mc->ignore_memory_transaction_failures = true;
     mc->default_cpu_type = ARM_CPU_TYPE_NAME("cortex-a9");
+    mc->default_ram_id = "zynq.ext_ram";
 }
 
 DEFINE_MACHINE("xilinx-zynq-a9", zynq_machine_init)
diff --git a/hw/arm/xlnx-versal-virt.c b/hw/arm/xlnx-versal-virt.c
index 0d2e3bdda1..e7f4ca8bf9 100644
--- a/hw/arm/xlnx-versal-virt.c
+++ b/hw/arm/xlnx-versal-virt.c
@@ -30,7 +30,6 @@ typedef struct VersalVirt {
     MachineState parent_obj;
 
     Versal soc;
-    MemoryRegion mr_ddr;
 
     void *fdt;
     int fdt_size;
@@ -414,12 +413,9 @@ static void versal_virt_init(MachineState *machine)
         psci_conduit = QEMU_PSCI_CONDUIT_SMC;
     }
 
-    memory_region_allocate_system_memory(&s->mr_ddr, NULL, "ddr",
-                                         machine->ram_size);
-
     sysbus_init_child_obj(OBJECT(machine), "xlnx-ve", &s->soc,
                           sizeof(s->soc), TYPE_XLNX_VERSAL);
-    object_property_set_link(OBJECT(&s->soc), OBJECT(&s->mr_ddr),
+    object_property_set_link(OBJECT(&s->soc), OBJECT(machine->ram),
                              "ddr", &error_abort);
     object_property_set_int(OBJECT(&s->soc), psci_conduit,
                             "psci-conduit", &error_abort);
@@ -473,6 +469,7 @@ static void versal_virt_machine_class_init(ObjectClass *oc, void *data)
     mc->max_cpus = XLNX_VERSAL_NR_ACPUS;
     mc->default_cpus = XLNX_VERSAL_NR_ACPUS;
     mc->no_cdrom = true;
+    mc->default_ram_id = "ddr";
 }
 
 static const TypeInfo versal_virt_machine_init_typeinfo = {
diff --git a/hw/arm/xlnx-zcu102.c b/hw/arm/xlnx-zcu102.c
index 53cfe7c1f1..bd645ad818 100644
--- a/hw/arm/xlnx-zcu102.c
+++ b/hw/arm/xlnx-zcu102.c
@@ -28,7 +28,6 @@ typedef struct XlnxZCU102 {
     MachineState parent_obj;
 
     XlnxZynqMPState soc;
-    MemoryRegion ddr_ram;
 
     bool secure;
     bool virt;
@@ -87,13 +86,10 @@ static void xlnx_zcu102_init(MachineState *machine)
                  ram_size);
     }
 
-    memory_region_allocate_system_memory(&s->ddr_ram, NULL, "ddr-ram",
-                                         ram_size);
-
     object_initialize_child(OBJECT(machine), "soc", &s->soc, sizeof(s->soc),
                             TYPE_XLNX_ZYNQMP, &error_abort, NULL);
 
-    object_property_set_link(OBJECT(&s->soc), OBJECT(&s->ddr_ram),
+    object_property_set_link(OBJECT(&s->soc), OBJECT(machine->ram),
                          "ddr-ram", &error_abort);
     object_property_set_bool(OBJECT(&s->soc), s->secure, "secure",
                              &error_fatal);
@@ -211,6 +207,7 @@ static void xlnx_zcu102_machine_class_init(ObjectClass *oc, void *data)
     mc->ignore_memory_transaction_failures = true;
     mc->max_cpus = XLNX_ZYNQMP_NUM_APU_CPUS + XLNX_ZYNQMP_NUM_RPU_CPUS;
     mc->default_cpus = XLNX_ZYNQMP_NUM_APU_CPUS;
+    mc->default_ram_id = "ddr-ram";
 }
 
 static const TypeInfo xlnx_zcu102_machine_init_typeinfo = {
diff --git a/hw/core/machine.c b/hw/core/machine.c
index ce403ccea9..9e8c06036f 100644
--- a/hw/core/machine.c
+++ b/hw/core/machine.c
@@ -26,6 +26,7 @@
 #include "sysemu/qtest.h"
 #include "hw/pci/pci.h"
 #include "hw/mem/nvdimm.h"
+#include "migration/vmstate.h"
 
 GlobalProperty hw_compat_4_2[] = {
     { "virtio-blk-device", "queue-size", "128"},
@@ -510,6 +511,22 @@ static void validate_sysbus_device(SysBusDevice *sbdev, void *opaque)
     }
 }
 
+static char *machine_get_memdev(Object *obj, Error **errp)
+{
+    MachineState *ms = MACHINE(obj);
+
+    return g_strdup(ms->ram_memdev_id);
+}
+
+static void machine_set_memdev(Object *obj, const char *value, Error **errp)
+{
+    MachineState *ms = MACHINE(obj);
+
+    g_free(ms->ram_memdev_id);
+    ms->ram_memdev_id = g_strdup(value);
+}
+
+
 static void machine_init_notify(Notifier *notifier, void *data)
 {
     MachineState *machine = MACHINE(qdev_get_machine());
@@ -891,6 +908,14 @@ static void machine_initfn(Object *obj)
                                         "Table (HMAT)", NULL);
     }
 
+    object_property_add_str(obj, "memory-backend",
+                            machine_get_memdev, machine_set_memdev,
+                            &error_abort);
+    object_property_set_description(obj, "memory-backend",
+                                    "Set RAM backend"
+                                    "Valid value is ID of hostmem based backend",
+                                     &error_abort);
+
     /* Register notifier when init is done for sysbus sanity checks */
     ms->sysbus_notifier.notify = machine_init_notify;
     qemu_add_machine_init_done_notifier(&ms->sysbus_notifier);
@@ -1037,10 +1062,33 @@ static void machine_numa_finish_cpu_init(MachineState *machine)
     g_string_free(s, true);
 }
 
+MemoryRegion *machine_consume_memdev(MachineState *machine,
+                                     HostMemoryBackend *backend)
+{
+    MemoryRegion *ret = host_memory_backend_get_memory(backend);
+
+    if (memory_region_is_mapped(ret)) {
+        char *path = object_get_canonical_path_component(OBJECT(backend));
+        error_report("memory backend %s can't be used multiple times.", path);
+        g_free(path);
+        exit(EXIT_FAILURE);
+    }
+    host_memory_backend_set_mapped(backend, true);
+    vmstate_register_ram_global(ret);
+    return ret;
+}
+
 void machine_run_board_init(MachineState *machine)
 {
     MachineClass *machine_class = MACHINE_GET_CLASS(machine);
 
+    if (machine->ram_memdev_id) {
+        Object *o;
+        o = object_resolve_path_type(machine->ram_memdev_id,
+                                     TYPE_MEMORY_BACKEND, NULL);
+        machine->ram = machine_consume_memdev(machine, MEMORY_BACKEND(o));
+    }
+
     if (machine->numa_state) {
         numa_complete_configuration(machine);
         if (machine->numa_state->num_nodes) {
diff --git a/hw/core/null-machine.c b/hw/core/null-machine.c
index 1aa0a9a01a..cb47d9d4f8 100644
--- a/hw/core/null-machine.c
+++ b/hw/core/null-machine.c
@@ -32,11 +32,8 @@ static void machine_none_init(MachineState *mch)
     }
 
     /* RAM at address zero */
-    if (mch->ram_size) {
-        MemoryRegion *ram = g_new(MemoryRegion, 1);
-
-        memory_region_allocate_system_memory(ram, NULL, "ram", mch->ram_size);
-        memory_region_add_subregion(get_system_memory(), 0, ram);
+    if (mch->ram) {
+        memory_region_add_subregion(get_system_memory(), 0, mch->ram);
     }
 
     if (mch->kernel_filename) {
@@ -52,6 +49,7 @@ static void machine_none_machine_init(MachineClass *mc)
     mc->init = machine_none_init;
     mc->max_cpus = 1;
     mc->default_ram_size = 0;
+    mc->default_ram_id = "ram";
 }
 
 DEFINE_MACHINE("none", machine_none_machine_init)
diff --git a/hw/core/numa.c b/hw/core/numa.c
index 0d1b4be76a..316bc50d75 100644
--- a/hw/core/numa.c
+++ b/hw/core/numa.c
@@ -52,6 +52,11 @@ QemuOptsList qemu_numa_opts = {
 };
 
 static int have_memdevs;
+bool numa_uses_legacy_mem(void)
+{
+    return !have_memdevs;
+}
+
 static int have_mem;
 static int max_numa_nodeid; /* Highest specified NUMA node ID, plus one.
                              * For all nodes, nodeid < max_numa_nodeid
@@ -652,6 +657,23 @@ void numa_default_auto_assign_ram(MachineClass *mc, NodeInfo *nodes,
     nodes[i].node_mem = size - usedmem;
 }
 
+static void numa_init_memdev_container(MachineState *ms, MemoryRegion *ram)
+{
+    int i;
+    uint64_t addr = 0;
+
+    for (i = 0; i < ms->numa_state->num_nodes; i++) {
+        uint64_t size = ms->numa_state->nodes[i].node_mem;
+        HostMemoryBackend *backend = ms->numa_state->nodes[i].node_memdev;
+        if (!backend) {
+            continue;
+        }
+        MemoryRegion *seg = machine_consume_memdev(ms, backend);
+        memory_region_add_subregion(ram, addr, seg);
+        addr += size;
+    }
+}
+
 void numa_complete_configuration(MachineState *ms)
 {
     int i;
@@ -734,6 +756,12 @@ void numa_complete_configuration(MachineState *ms)
             exit(1);
         }
 
+        if (!numa_uses_legacy_mem() && mc->default_ram_id) {
+            ms->ram = g_new(MemoryRegion, 1);
+            memory_region_init(ms->ram, OBJECT(ms), mc->default_ram_id,
+                               ram_size);
+            numa_init_memdev_container(ms, ms->ram);
+        }
         /* QEMU needs at least all unique node pair distances to build
          * the whole NUMA distance table. QEMU treats the distance table
          * as symmetric by default, i.e. distance A->B == distance B->A.
@@ -778,79 +806,6 @@ void numa_cpu_pre_plug(const CPUArchId *slot, DeviceState *dev, Error **errp)
     }
 }
 
-static void allocate_system_memory_nonnuma(MemoryRegion *mr, Object *owner,
-                                           const char *name,
-                                           uint64_t ram_size)
-{
-    if (mem_path) {
-#ifdef __linux__
-        Error *err = NULL;
-        memory_region_init_ram_from_file(mr, owner, name, ram_size, 0, 0,
-                                         mem_path, &err);
-        if (err) {
-            error_report_err(err);
-            if (mem_prealloc) {
-                exit(1);
-            }
-            warn_report("falling back to regular RAM allocation");
-            error_printf("This is deprecated. Make sure that -mem-path "
-                         " specified path has sufficient resources to allocate"
-                         " -m specified RAM amount\n");
-            /* Legacy behavior: if allocation failed, fall back to
-             * regular RAM allocation.
-             */
-            mem_path = NULL;
-            memory_region_init_ram_nomigrate(mr, owner, name, ram_size, &error_fatal);
-        }
-#else
-        fprintf(stderr, "-mem-path not supported on this host\n");
-        exit(1);
-#endif
-    } else {
-        memory_region_init_ram_nomigrate(mr, owner, name, ram_size, &error_fatal);
-    }
-    vmstate_register_ram_global(mr);
-}
-
-void memory_region_allocate_system_memory(MemoryRegion *mr, Object *owner,
-                                          const char *name,
-                                          uint64_t ram_size)
-{
-    uint64_t addr = 0;
-    int i;
-    MachineState *ms = MACHINE(qdev_get_machine());
-
-    if (ms->numa_state == NULL ||
-        ms->numa_state->num_nodes == 0 || !have_memdevs) {
-        allocate_system_memory_nonnuma(mr, owner, name, ram_size);
-        return;
-    }
-
-    memory_region_init(mr, owner, name, ram_size);
-    for (i = 0; i < ms->numa_state->num_nodes; i++) {
-        uint64_t size = ms->numa_state->nodes[i].node_mem;
-        HostMemoryBackend *backend = ms->numa_state->nodes[i].node_memdev;
-        if (!backend) {
-            continue;
-        }
-        MemoryRegion *seg = host_memory_backend_get_memory(backend);
-
-        if (memory_region_is_mapped(seg)) {
-            char *path = object_get_canonical_path_component(OBJECT(backend));
-            error_report("memory backend %s is used multiple times. Each "
-                         "-numa option must use a different memdev value.",
-                         path);
-            g_free(path);
-            exit(1);
-        }
-
-        host_memory_backend_set_mapped(backend, true);
-        memory_region_add_subregion(mr, addr, seg);
-        vmstate_register_ram_global(seg);
-        addr += size;
-    }
-}
-
 static void numa_stat_memory_devices(NumaNodeMem node_mem[])
 {
     MemoryDeviceInfoList *info_list = qmp_memory_device_list();
diff --git a/hw/cris/axis_dev88.c b/hw/cris/axis_dev88.c
index be7760476a..cf6790fd6f 100644
--- a/hw/cris/axis_dev88.c
+++ b/hw/cris/axis_dev88.c
@@ -249,7 +249,6 @@ static struct cris_load_info li;
 static
 void axisdev88_init(MachineState *machine)
 {
-    ram_addr_t ram_size = machine->ram_size;
     const char *kernel_filename = machine->kernel_filename;
     const char *kernel_cmdline = machine->kernel_cmdline;
     CRISCPU *cpu;
@@ -261,16 +260,12 @@ void axisdev88_init(MachineState *machine)
     struct etraxfs_dma_client *dma_eth;
     int i;
     MemoryRegion *address_space_mem = get_system_memory();
-    MemoryRegion *phys_ram = g_new(MemoryRegion, 1);
     MemoryRegion *phys_intmem = g_new(MemoryRegion, 1);
 
     /* init CPUs */
     cpu = CRIS_CPU(cpu_create(machine->cpu_type));
 
-    /* allocate RAM */
-    memory_region_allocate_system_memory(phys_ram, NULL, "axisdev88.ram",
-                                         ram_size);
-    memory_region_add_subregion(address_space_mem, 0x40000000, phys_ram);
+    memory_region_add_subregion(address_space_mem, 0x40000000, machine->ram);
 
     /* The ETRAX-FS has 128Kb on chip ram, the docs refer to it as the 
        internal memory.  */
@@ -351,6 +346,7 @@ static void axisdev88_machine_init(MachineClass *mc)
     mc->init = axisdev88_init;
     mc->is_default = 1;
     mc->default_cpu_type = CRIS_CPU_TYPE_NAME("crisv32");
+    mc->default_ram_id = "axisdev88.ram";
 }
 
 DEFINE_MACHINE("axis-dev88", axisdev88_machine_init)
diff --git a/hw/hppa/machine.c b/hw/hppa/machine.c
index d8755ec422..67181e75ba 100644
--- a/hw/hppa/machine.c
+++ b/hw/hppa/machine.c
@@ -71,14 +71,11 @@ static void machine_hppa_init(MachineState *machine)
     uint64_t kernel_entry = 0, kernel_low, kernel_high;
     MemoryRegion *addr_space = get_system_memory();
     MemoryRegion *rom_region;
-    MemoryRegion *ram_region;
     MemoryRegion *cpu_region;
     long i;
     unsigned int smp_cpus = machine->smp.cpus;
     SysBusDevice *s;
 
-    ram_size = machine->ram_size;
-
     /* Create CPUs.  */
     for (i = 0; i < smp_cpus; i++) {
         char *name = g_strdup_printf("cpu%ld-io-eir", i);
@@ -97,10 +94,8 @@ static void machine_hppa_init(MachineState *machine)
         error_report("RAM size is currently restricted to 3GB");
         exit(EXIT_FAILURE);
     }
-    ram_region = g_new(MemoryRegion, 1);
-    memory_region_allocate_system_memory(ram_region, OBJECT(machine),
-                                         "ram", ram_size);
-    memory_region_add_subregion_overlap(addr_space, 0, ram_region, -1);
+    memory_region_add_subregion_overlap(addr_space, 0, machine->ram, -1);
+
 
     /* Init Lasi chip */
     lasi_init(addr_space);
@@ -298,6 +293,7 @@ static void machine_hppa_machine_init(MachineClass *mc)
     mc->is_default = 1;
     mc->default_ram_size = 512 * MiB;
     mc->default_boot_order = "cd";
+    mc->default_ram_id = "ram";
 }
 
 DEFINE_MACHINE("hppa", machine_hppa_machine_init)
diff --git a/hw/i386/microvm.c b/hw/i386/microvm.c
index d23485108d..38d8e51703 100644
--- a/hw/i386/microvm.c
+++ b/hw/i386/microvm.c
@@ -167,7 +167,7 @@ static void microvm_memory_init(MicrovmMachineState *mms)
 {
     MachineState *machine = MACHINE(mms);
     X86MachineState *x86ms = X86_MACHINE(mms);
-    MemoryRegion *ram, *ram_below_4g, *ram_above_4g;
+    MemoryRegion *ram_below_4g, *ram_above_4g;
     MemoryRegion *system_memory = get_system_memory();
     FWCfgState *fw_cfg;
     ram_addr_t lowmem;
@@ -214,12 +214,8 @@ static void microvm_memory_init(MicrovmMachineState *mms)
         x86ms->below_4g_mem_size = machine->ram_size;
     }
 
-    ram = g_malloc(sizeof(*ram));
-    memory_region_allocate_system_memory(ram, NULL, "microvm.ram",
-                                         machine->ram_size);
-
     ram_below_4g = g_malloc(sizeof(*ram_below_4g));
-    memory_region_init_alias(ram_below_4g, NULL, "ram-below-4g", ram,
+    memory_region_init_alias(ram_below_4g, NULL, "ram-below-4g", machine->ram,
                              0, x86ms->below_4g_mem_size);
     memory_region_add_subregion(system_memory, 0, ram_below_4g);
 
@@ -227,7 +223,8 @@ static void microvm_memory_init(MicrovmMachineState *mms)
 
     if (x86ms->above_4g_mem_size > 0) {
         ram_above_4g = g_malloc(sizeof(*ram_above_4g));
-        memory_region_init_alias(ram_above_4g, NULL, "ram-above-4g", ram,
+        memory_region_init_alias(ram_above_4g, NULL, "ram-above-4g",
+                                 machine->ram,
                                  x86ms->below_4g_mem_size,
                                  x86ms->above_4g_mem_size);
         memory_region_add_subregion(system_memory, 0x100000000ULL,
@@ -502,6 +499,7 @@ static void microvm_class_init(ObjectClass *oc, void *data)
     mc->auto_enable_numa_with_memhp = false;
     mc->default_cpu_type = TARGET_DEFAULT_CPU_TYPE;
     mc->nvdimm_supported = false;
+    mc->default_ram_id = "microvm.ram";
 
     /* Avoid relying too much on kernel components */
     mc->default_kernel_irqchip_split = true;
diff --git a/hw/i386/pc.c b/hw/i386/pc.c
index 2ddce4230a..6ab4acb0c6 100644
--- a/hw/i386/pc.c
+++ b/hw/i386/pc.c
@@ -937,7 +937,7 @@ void pc_memory_init(PCMachineState *pcms,
                     MemoryRegion **ram_memory)
 {
     int linux_boot, i;
-    MemoryRegion *ram, *option_rom_mr;
+    MemoryRegion *option_rom_mr;
     MemoryRegion *ram_below_4g, *ram_above_4g;
     FWCfgState *fw_cfg;
     MachineState *machine = MACHINE(pcms);
@@ -950,22 +950,20 @@ void pc_memory_init(PCMachineState *pcms,
 
     linux_boot = (machine->kernel_filename != NULL);
 
-    /* Allocate RAM.  We allocate it as a single memory region and use
-     * aliases to address portions of it, mostly for backwards compatibility
-     * with older qemus that used qemu_ram_alloc().
+    /*
+     * Split single memory region and use aliases to address portions of it,
+     * done for backwards compatibility with older qemus.
      */
-    ram = g_malloc(sizeof(*ram));
-    memory_region_allocate_system_memory(ram, NULL, "pc.ram",
-                                         machine->ram_size);
-    *ram_memory = ram;
+    *ram_memory = machine->ram;
     ram_below_4g = g_malloc(sizeof(*ram_below_4g));
-    memory_region_init_alias(ram_below_4g, NULL, "ram-below-4g", ram,
+    memory_region_init_alias(ram_below_4g, NULL, "ram-below-4g", machine->ram,
                              0, x86ms->below_4g_mem_size);
     memory_region_add_subregion(system_memory, 0, ram_below_4g);
     e820_add_entry(0, x86ms->below_4g_mem_size, E820_RAM);
     if (x86ms->above_4g_mem_size > 0) {
         ram_above_4g = g_malloc(sizeof(*ram_above_4g));
-        memory_region_init_alias(ram_above_4g, NULL, "ram-above-4g", ram,
+        memory_region_init_alias(ram_above_4g, NULL, "ram-above-4g",
+                                 machine->ram,
                                  x86ms->below_4g_mem_size,
                                  x86ms->above_4g_mem_size);
         memory_region_add_subregion(system_memory, 0x100000000ULL,
@@ -1952,6 +1950,7 @@ static void pc_machine_class_init(ObjectClass *oc, void *data)
     mc->default_cpu_type = TARGET_DEFAULT_CPU_TYPE;
     mc->nvdimm_supported = true;
     mc->numa_mem_supported = true;
+    mc->default_ram_id = "pc.ram";
 
     object_class_property_add(oc, PC_MACHINE_DEVMEM_REGION_SIZE, "int",
         pc_machine_get_device_memory_region_size, NULL,
diff --git a/hw/lm32/lm32_boards.c b/hw/lm32/lm32_boards.c
index d1894adab8..4e0a98c117 100644
--- a/hw/lm32/lm32_boards.c
+++ b/hw/lm32/lm32_boards.c
@@ -19,6 +19,7 @@
 
 #include "qemu/osdep.h"
 #include "qemu/units.h"
+#include "qemu/cutils.h"
 #include "qemu/error-report.h"
 #include "cpu.h"
 #include "hw/sysbus.h"
@@ -75,22 +76,28 @@ static void main_cpu_reset(void *opaque)
 
 static void lm32_evr_init(MachineState *machine)
 {
+    MachineClass *mc = MACHINE_GET_CLASS(machine);
     const char *kernel_filename = machine->kernel_filename;
     LM32CPU *cpu;
     CPULM32State *env;
     DriveInfo *dinfo;
     MemoryRegion *address_space_mem =  get_system_memory();
-    MemoryRegion *phys_ram = g_new(MemoryRegion, 1);
     qemu_irq irq[32];
     ResetInfo *reset_info;
     int i;
 
+    if (machine->ram_size != mc->default_ram_size) {
+        char *sz = size_to_str(mc->default_ram_size);
+        error_report("Invalid RAM size, should be %s", sz);
+        g_free(sz);
+        exit(EXIT_FAILURE);
+    }
+
     /* memory map */
     hwaddr flash_base  = 0x04000000;
     size_t flash_sector_size       = 256 * KiB;
     size_t flash_size              = 32 * MiB;
     hwaddr ram_base    = 0x08000000;
-    size_t ram_size                = 64 * MiB;
     hwaddr timer0_base = 0x80002000;
     hwaddr uart0_base  = 0x80006000;
     hwaddr timer1_base = 0x8000a000;
@@ -107,9 +114,7 @@ static void lm32_evr_init(MachineState *machine)
 
     reset_info->flash_base = flash_base;
 
-    memory_region_allocate_system_memory(phys_ram, NULL, "lm32_evr.sdram",
-                                         ram_size);
-    memory_region_add_subregion(address_space_mem, ram_base, phys_ram);
+    memory_region_add_subregion(address_space_mem, ram_base, machine->ram);
 
     dinfo = drive_get(IF_PFLASH, 0, 0);
     /* Spansion S29NS128P */
@@ -144,7 +149,7 @@ static void lm32_evr_init(MachineState *machine)
 
         if (kernel_size < 0) {
             kernel_size = load_image_targphys(kernel_filename, ram_base,
-                                              ram_size);
+                                              machine->ram_size);
             reset_info->bootstrap_pc = ram_base;
         }
 
@@ -159,6 +164,7 @@ static void lm32_evr_init(MachineState *machine)
 
 static void lm32_uclinux_init(MachineState *machine)
 {
+    MachineClass *mc = MACHINE_GET_CLASS(machine);
     const char *kernel_filename = machine->kernel_filename;
     const char *kernel_cmdline = machine->kernel_cmdline;
     const char *initrd_filename = machine->initrd_filename;
@@ -166,18 +172,23 @@ static void lm32_uclinux_init(MachineState *machine)
     CPULM32State *env;
     DriveInfo *dinfo;
     MemoryRegion *address_space_mem =  get_system_memory();
-    MemoryRegion *phys_ram = g_new(MemoryRegion, 1);
     qemu_irq irq[32];
     HWSetup *hw;
     ResetInfo *reset_info;
     int i;
 
+    if (machine->ram_size != mc->default_ram_size) {
+        char *sz = size_to_str(mc->default_ram_size);
+        error_report("Invalid RAM size, should be %s", sz);
+        g_free(sz);
+        exit(EXIT_FAILURE);
+    }
+
     /* memory map */
     hwaddr flash_base   = 0x04000000;
     size_t flash_sector_size        = 256 * KiB;
     size_t flash_size               = 32 * MiB;
     hwaddr ram_base     = 0x08000000;
-    size_t ram_size                 = 64 * MiB;
     hwaddr uart0_base   = 0x80000000;
     hwaddr timer0_base  = 0x80002000;
     hwaddr timer1_base  = 0x80010000;
@@ -200,9 +211,7 @@ static void lm32_uclinux_init(MachineState *machine)
 
     reset_info->flash_base = flash_base;
 
-    memory_region_allocate_system_memory(phys_ram, NULL,
-                                         "lm32_uclinux.sdram", ram_size);
-    memory_region_add_subregion(address_space_mem, ram_base, phys_ram);
+    memory_region_add_subregion(address_space_mem, ram_base, machine->ram);
 
     dinfo = drive_get(IF_PFLASH, 0, 0);
     /* Spansion S29NS128P */
@@ -238,7 +247,7 @@ static void lm32_uclinux_init(MachineState *machine)
 
         if (kernel_size < 0) {
             kernel_size = load_image_targphys(kernel_filename, ram_base,
-                                              ram_size);
+                                              machine->ram_size);
             reset_info->bootstrap_pc = ram_base;
         }
 
@@ -252,7 +261,7 @@ static void lm32_uclinux_init(MachineState *machine)
     hw = hwsetup_init();
     hwsetup_add_cpu(hw, "LM32", 75000000);
     hwsetup_add_flash(hw, "flash", flash_base, flash_size);
-    hwsetup_add_ddr_sdram(hw, "ddr_sdram", ram_base, ram_size);
+    hwsetup_add_ddr_sdram(hw, "ddr_sdram", ram_base, machine->ram_size);
     hwsetup_add_timer(hw, "timer0", timer0_base, timer0_irq);
     hwsetup_add_timer(hw, "timer1_dev_only", timer1_base, timer1_irq);
     hwsetup_add_timer(hw, "timer2_dev_only", timer2_base, timer2_irq);
@@ -288,6 +297,8 @@ static void lm32_evr_class_init(ObjectClass *oc, void *data)
     mc->init = lm32_evr_init;
     mc->is_default = 1;
     mc->default_cpu_type = LM32_CPU_TYPE_NAME("lm32-full");
+    mc->default_ram_size = 64 * MiB;
+    mc->default_ram_id = "lm32_evr.sdram";
 }
 
 static const TypeInfo lm32_evr_type = {
@@ -304,6 +315,8 @@ static void lm32_uclinux_class_init(ObjectClass *oc, void *data)
     mc->init = lm32_uclinux_init;
     mc->is_default = 0;
     mc->default_cpu_type = LM32_CPU_TYPE_NAME("lm32-full");
+    mc->default_ram_size = 64 * MiB;
+    mc->default_ram_id = "lm32_uclinux.sdram";
 }
 
 static const TypeInfo lm32_uclinux_type = {
diff --git a/hw/lm32/milkymist.c b/hw/lm32/milkymist.c
index 6d46134232..5c72266e58 100644
--- a/hw/lm32/milkymist.c
+++ b/hw/lm32/milkymist.c
@@ -36,6 +36,7 @@
 #include "hw/display/milkymist_tmu2.h"
 #include "lm32.h"
 #include "exec/address-spaces.h"
+#include "qemu/cutils.h"
 
 #define BIOS_FILENAME    "mmone-bios.bin"
 #define BIOS_OFFSET      0x00860000
@@ -82,6 +83,7 @@ static void main_cpu_reset(void *opaque)
 static void
 milkymist_init(MachineState *machine)
 {
+    MachineClass *mc = MACHINE_GET_CLASS(machine);
     const char *kernel_filename = machine->kernel_filename;
     const char *kernel_cmdline = machine->kernel_cmdline;
     const char *initrd_filename = machine->initrd_filename;
@@ -90,22 +92,27 @@ milkymist_init(MachineState *machine)
     int kernel_size;
     DriveInfo *dinfo;
     MemoryRegion *address_space_mem = get_system_memory();
-    MemoryRegion *phys_sdram = g_new(MemoryRegion, 1);
     qemu_irq irq[32];
     int i;
     char *bios_filename;
     ResetInfo *reset_info;
 
+    if (machine->ram_size != mc->default_ram_size) {
+        char *sz = size_to_str(mc->default_ram_size);
+        error_report("Invalid RAM size, should be %s", sz);
+        g_free(sz);
+        exit(EXIT_FAILURE);
+    }
+
     /* memory map */
     hwaddr flash_base   = 0x00000000;
     size_t flash_sector_size        = 128 * KiB;
     size_t flash_size               = 32 * MiB;
     hwaddr sdram_base   = 0x40000000;
-    size_t sdram_size               = 128 * MiB;
 
     hwaddr initrd_base  = sdram_base + 0x1002000;
     hwaddr cmdline_base = sdram_base + 0x1000000;
-    size_t initrd_max = sdram_size - 0x1002000;
+    size_t initrd_max = machine->ram_size - 0x1002000;
 
     reset_info = g_malloc0(sizeof(ResetInfo));
 
@@ -116,9 +123,7 @@ milkymist_init(MachineState *machine)
 
     cpu_lm32_set_phys_msb_ignore(env, 1);
 
-    memory_region_allocate_system_memory(phys_sdram, NULL, "milkymist.sdram",
-                                         sdram_size);
-    memory_region_add_subregion(address_space_mem, sdram_base, phys_sdram);
+    memory_region_add_subregion(address_space_mem, sdram_base, machine->ram);
 
     dinfo = drive_get(IF_PFLASH, 0, 0);
     /* Numonyx JS28F256J3F105 */
@@ -183,7 +188,7 @@ milkymist_init(MachineState *machine)
 
         if (kernel_size < 0) {
             kernel_size = load_image_targphys(kernel_filename, sdram_base,
-                                              sdram_size);
+                                              machine->ram_size);
             reset_info->bootstrap_pc = sdram_base;
         }
 
@@ -216,6 +221,8 @@ static void milkymist_machine_init(MachineClass *mc)
     mc->init = milkymist_init;
     mc->is_default = 0;
     mc->default_cpu_type = LM32_CPU_TYPE_NAME("lm32-full");
+    mc->default_ram_size = 128 * MiB;
+    mc->default_ram_id = "milkymist.sdram";
 }
 
 DEFINE_MACHINE("milkymist", milkymist_machine_init)
diff --git a/hw/m68k/an5206.c b/hw/m68k/an5206.c
index bed43a936d..846f4e40c6 100644
--- a/hw/m68k/an5206.c
+++ b/hw/m68k/an5206.c
@@ -33,7 +33,6 @@ static void an5206_init(MachineState *machine)
     uint64_t elf_entry;
     hwaddr entry;
     MemoryRegion *address_space_mem = get_system_memory();
-    MemoryRegion *ram = g_new(MemoryRegion, 1);
     MemoryRegion *sram = g_new(MemoryRegion, 1);
 
     cpu = M68K_CPU(cpu_create(machine->cpu_type));
@@ -46,8 +45,7 @@ static void an5206_init(MachineState *machine)
     env->rambar0 = AN5206_RAMBAR_ADDR | 1;
 
     /* DRAM at address zero */
-    memory_region_allocate_system_memory(ram, NULL, "an5206.ram", ram_size);
-    memory_region_add_subregion(address_space_mem, 0, ram);
+    memory_region_add_subregion(address_space_mem, 0, machine->ram);
 
     /* Internal SRAM.  */
     memory_region_init_ram(sram, NULL, "an5206.sram", 512, &error_fatal);
@@ -89,6 +87,7 @@ static void an5206_machine_init(MachineClass *mc)
     mc->desc = "Arnewsh 5206";
     mc->init = an5206_init;
     mc->default_cpu_type = M68K_CPU_TYPE_NAME("m5206");
+    mc->default_ram_id = "an5206.ram";
 }
 
 DEFINE_MACHINE("an5206", an5206_machine_init)
diff --git a/hw/m68k/mcf5208.c b/hw/m68k/mcf5208.c
index a999c21982..31622c71cb 100644
--- a/hw/m68k/mcf5208.c
+++ b/hw/m68k/mcf5208.c
@@ -234,7 +234,6 @@ static void mcf5208evb_init(MachineState *machine)
     qemu_irq *pic;
     MemoryRegion *address_space_mem = get_system_memory();
     MemoryRegion *rom = g_new(MemoryRegion, 1);
-    MemoryRegion *ram = g_new(MemoryRegion, 1);
     MemoryRegion *sram = g_new(MemoryRegion, 1);
 
     cpu = M68K_CPU(cpu_create(machine->cpu_type));
@@ -249,8 +248,7 @@ static void mcf5208evb_init(MachineState *machine)
     memory_region_add_subregion(address_space_mem, 0x00000000, rom);
 
     /* DRAM at 0x40000000 */
-    memory_region_allocate_system_memory(ram, NULL, "mcf5208.ram", ram_size);
-    memory_region_add_subregion(address_space_mem, 0x40000000, ram);
+    memory_region_add_subregion(address_space_mem, 0x40000000, machine->ram);
 
     /* Internal SRAM.  */
     memory_region_init_ram(sram, NULL, "mcf5208.sram", 16 * KiB, &error_fatal);
@@ -354,6 +352,7 @@ static void mcf5208evb_machine_init(MachineClass *mc)
     mc->init = mcf5208evb_init;
     mc->is_default = 1;
     mc->default_cpu_type = M68K_CPU_TYPE_NAME("m5208");
+    mc->default_ram_id = "mcf5208.ram";
 }
 
 DEFINE_MACHINE("mcf5208evb", mcf5208evb_machine_init)
diff --git a/hw/m68k/next-cube.c b/hw/m68k/next-cube.c
index 350c6fec78..14b99ed25d 100644
--- a/hw/m68k/next-cube.c
+++ b/hw/m68k/next-cube.c
@@ -860,7 +860,6 @@ static void next_cube_init(MachineState *machine)
 {
     M68kCPU *cpu;
     CPUM68KState *env;
-    MemoryRegion *ram = g_new(MemoryRegion, 1);
     MemoryRegion *rom = g_new(MemoryRegion, 1);
     MemoryRegion *mmiomem = g_new(MemoryRegion, 1);
     MemoryRegion *scrmem = g_new(MemoryRegion, 1);
@@ -893,8 +892,7 @@ static void next_cube_init(MachineState *machine)
     memcpy(ns->rtc.ram, rtc_ram2, 32);
 
     /* 64MB RAM starting at 0x04000000  */
-    memory_region_allocate_system_memory(ram, NULL, "next.ram", ram_size);
-    memory_region_add_subregion(sysmem, 0x04000000, ram);
+    memory_region_add_subregion(sysmem, 0x04000000, machine->ram);
 
     /* Framebuffer */
     dev = qdev_create(NULL, TYPE_NEXTFB);
@@ -967,6 +965,7 @@ static void next_machine_class_init(ObjectClass *oc, void *data)
     mc->desc = "NeXT Cube";
     mc->init = next_cube_init;
     mc->default_ram_size = RAM_SIZE;
+    mc->default_ram_id = "next.ram";
     mc->default_cpu_type = M68K_CPU_TYPE_NAME("m68040");
 }
 
diff --git a/hw/m68k/q800.c b/hw/m68k/q800.c
index 1e32363688..a4c4bc14cb 100644
--- a/hw/m68k/q800.c
+++ b/hw/m68k/q800.c
@@ -160,7 +160,6 @@ static void q800_init(MachineState *machine)
     ram_addr_t initrd_base;
     int32_t initrd_size;
     MemoryRegion *rom;
-    MemoryRegion *ram;
     MemoryRegion *io;
     const int io_slice_nb = (IO_SIZE / IO_SLICE) - 1;
     int i;
@@ -194,9 +193,7 @@ static void q800_init(MachineState *machine)
     qemu_register_reset(main_cpu_reset, cpu);
 
     /* RAM */
-    ram = g_malloc(sizeof(*ram));
-    memory_region_init_ram(ram, NULL, "m68k_mac.ram", ram_size, &error_abort);
-    memory_region_add_subregion(get_system_memory(), 0, ram);
+    memory_region_add_subregion(get_system_memory(), 0, machine->ram);
 
     /*
      * Memory from IO_BASE to IO_BASE + IO_SLICE is repeated
@@ -443,6 +440,7 @@ static void q800_machine_class_init(ObjectClass *oc, void *data)
     mc->max_cpus = 1;
     mc->is_default = 0;
     mc->block_default_type = IF_SCSI;
+    mc->default_ram_id = "m68k_mac.ram";
 }
 
 static const TypeInfo q800_machine_typeinfo = {
diff --git a/hw/mips/boston.c b/hw/mips/boston.c
index 0df3a7755a..98ecd25e8e 100644
--- a/hw/mips/boston.c
+++ b/hw/mips/boston.c
@@ -427,7 +427,7 @@ static void boston_mach_init(MachineState *machine)
     DeviceState *dev;
     BostonState *s;
     Error *err = NULL;
-    MemoryRegion *flash, *ddr, *ddr_low_alias, *lcd, *platreg;
+    MemoryRegion *flash, *ddr_low_alias, *lcd, *platreg;
     MemoryRegion *sys_mem = get_system_memory();
     XilinxPCIEHost *pcie2;
     PCIDevice *ahci;
@@ -473,14 +473,12 @@ static void boston_mach_init(MachineState *machine)
     memory_region_init_rom(flash, NULL, "boston.flash", 128 * MiB, &err);
     memory_region_add_subregion_overlap(sys_mem, 0x18000000, flash, 0);
 
-    ddr = g_new(MemoryRegion, 1);
-    memory_region_allocate_system_memory(ddr, NULL, "boston.ddr",
-                                         machine->ram_size);
-    memory_region_add_subregion_overlap(sys_mem, 0x80000000, ddr, 0);
+    memory_region_add_subregion_overlap(sys_mem, 0x80000000, machine->ram, 0);
 
     ddr_low_alias = g_new(MemoryRegion, 1);
     memory_region_init_alias(ddr_low_alias, NULL, "boston_low.ddr",
-                             ddr, 0, MIN(machine->ram_size, (256 * MiB)));
+                             machine->ram, 0,
+                             MIN(machine->ram_size, (256 * MiB)));
     memory_region_add_subregion_overlap(sys_mem, 0, ddr_low_alias, 0);
 
     xilinx_pcie_init(sys_mem, 0,
@@ -552,6 +550,7 @@ static void boston_mach_class_init(MachineClass *mc)
     mc->init = boston_mach_init;
     mc->block_default_type = IF_IDE;
     mc->default_ram_size = 1 * GiB;
+    mc->default_ram_id = "boston.ddr";
     mc->max_cpus = 16;
     mc->default_cpu_type = MIPS_CPU_TYPE_NAME("I6400");
 }
diff --git a/hw/mips/mips_fulong2e.c b/hw/mips/mips_fulong2e.c
index 2e043cbb98..c373ab066b 100644
--- a/hw/mips/mips_fulong2e.c
+++ b/hw/mips/mips_fulong2e.c
@@ -294,9 +294,7 @@ static void mips_fulong2e_init(MachineState *machine)
     const char *initrd_filename = machine->initrd_filename;
     char *filename;
     MemoryRegion *address_space_mem = get_system_memory();
-    MemoryRegion *ram = g_new(MemoryRegion, 1);
     MemoryRegion *bios = g_new(MemoryRegion, 1);
-    ram_addr_t ram_size = machine->ram_size;
     long bios_size;
     uint8_t *spd_data;
     Error *err = NULL;
@@ -315,15 +313,17 @@ static void mips_fulong2e_init(MachineState *machine)
     qemu_register_reset(main_cpu_reset, cpu);
 
     /* TODO: support more than 256M RAM as highmem */
-    ram_size = 256 * MiB;
+    if (machine->ram_size != 256 * MiB) {
+        error_report("Invalid RAM size, should be 256MB");
+        exit(EXIT_FAILURE);
+    }
 
     /* allocate RAM */
-    memory_region_allocate_system_memory(ram, NULL, "fulong2e.ram", ram_size);
     memory_region_init_ram(bios, NULL, "fulong2e.bios", BIOS_SIZE,
                            &error_fatal);
     memory_region_set_readonly(bios, true);
 
-    memory_region_add_subregion(address_space_mem, 0, ram);
+    memory_region_add_subregion(address_space_mem, 0, machine->ram);
     memory_region_add_subregion(address_space_mem, 0x1fc00000LL, bios);
 
     /*
@@ -332,7 +332,7 @@ static void mips_fulong2e_init(MachineState *machine)
      */
 
     if (kernel_filename) {
-        loaderparams.ram_size = ram_size;
+        loaderparams.ram_size = machine->ram_size;
         loaderparams.kernel_filename = kernel_filename;
         loaderparams.kernel_cmdline = kernel_cmdline;
         loaderparams.initrd_filename = initrd_filename;
@@ -378,7 +378,7 @@ static void mips_fulong2e_init(MachineState *machine)
     }
 
     /* Populate SPD eeprom data */
-    spd_data = spd_data_generate(DDR, ram_size, &err);
+    spd_data = spd_data_generate(DDR, machine->ram_size, &err);
     if (err) {
         warn_report_err(err);
     }
@@ -399,6 +399,7 @@ static void mips_fulong2e_machine_init(MachineClass *mc)
     mc->block_default_type = IF_IDE;
     mc->default_cpu_type = MIPS_CPU_TYPE_NAME("Loongson-2E");
     mc->default_ram_size = 256 * MiB;
+    mc->default_ram_id = "fulong2e.ram";
 }
 
 DEFINE_MACHINE("fulong2e", mips_fulong2e_machine_init)
diff --git a/hw/mips/mips_jazz.c b/hw/mips/mips_jazz.c
index 66fd4d867d..32fbd10b4e 100644
--- a/hw/mips/mips_jazz.c
+++ b/hw/mips/mips_jazz.c
@@ -159,12 +159,16 @@ static void mips_jazz_init(MachineState *machine,
     ISABus *isa_bus;
     ISADevice *pit;
     DriveInfo *fds[MAX_FD];
-    MemoryRegion *ram = g_new(MemoryRegion, 1);
     MemoryRegion *bios = g_new(MemoryRegion, 1);
     MemoryRegion *bios2 = g_new(MemoryRegion, 1);
     SysBusESPState *sysbus_esp;
     ESPState *esp;
 
+    if (machine->ram_size > 256 * MiB) {
+        error_report("RAM size more than 256Mb is not supported");
+        exit(EXIT_FAILURE);
+    }
+
     /* init CPUs */
     cpu = MIPS_CPU(cpu_create(machine->cpu_type));
     env = &cpu->env;
@@ -191,9 +195,7 @@ static void mips_jazz_init(MachineState *machine,
     cc->do_transaction_failed = mips_jazz_do_transaction_failed;
 
     /* allocate RAM */
-    memory_region_allocate_system_memory(ram, NULL, "mips_jazz.ram",
-                                         machine->ram_size);
-    memory_region_add_subregion(address_space, 0, ram);
+    memory_region_add_subregion(address_space, 0, machine->ram);
 
     memory_region_init_ram(bios, NULL, "mips_jazz.bios", MAGNUM_BIOS_SIZE,
                            &error_fatal);
@@ -393,6 +395,7 @@ static void mips_magnum_class_init(ObjectClass *oc, void *data)
     mc->init = mips_magnum_init;
     mc->block_default_type = IF_SCSI;
     mc->default_cpu_type = MIPS_CPU_TYPE_NAME("R4000");
+    mc->default_ram_id = "mips_jazz.ram";
 }
 
 static const TypeInfo mips_magnum_type = {
@@ -409,6 +412,7 @@ static void mips_pica61_class_init(ObjectClass *oc, void *data)
     mc->init = mips_pica61_init;
     mc->block_default_type = IF_SCSI;
     mc->default_cpu_type = MIPS_CPU_TYPE_NAME("R4000");
+    mc->default_ram_id = "mips_jazz.ram";
 }
 
 static const TypeInfo mips_pica61_type = {
diff --git a/hw/mips/mips_malta.c b/hw/mips/mips_malta.c
index 34b76bb6a1..6e7ba9235d 100644
--- a/hw/mips/mips_malta.c
+++ b/hw/mips/mips_malta.c
@@ -1224,7 +1224,6 @@ void mips_malta_init(MachineState *machine)
     char *filename;
     PFlashCFI01 *fl;
     MemoryRegion *system_memory = get_system_memory();
-    MemoryRegion *ram_high = g_new(MemoryRegion, 1);
     MemoryRegion *ram_low_preio = g_new(MemoryRegion, 1);
     MemoryRegion *ram_low_postio;
     MemoryRegion *bios, *bios_copy = g_new(MemoryRegion, 1);
@@ -1262,13 +1261,11 @@ void mips_malta_init(MachineState *machine)
     }
 
     /* register RAM at high address where it is undisturbed by IO */
-    memory_region_allocate_system_memory(ram_high, NULL, "mips_malta.ram",
-                                         ram_size);
-    memory_region_add_subregion(system_memory, 0x80000000, ram_high);
+    memory_region_add_subregion(system_memory, 0x80000000, machine->ram);
 
     /* alias for pre IO hole access */
     memory_region_init_alias(ram_low_preio, NULL, "mips_malta_low_preio.ram",
-                             ram_high, 0, MIN(ram_size, 256 * MiB));
+                             machine->ram, 0, MIN(ram_size, 256 * MiB));
     memory_region_add_subregion(system_memory, 0, ram_low_preio);
 
     /* alias for post IO hole access, if there is enough RAM */
@@ -1276,7 +1273,7 @@ void mips_malta_init(MachineState *machine)
         ram_low_postio = g_new(MemoryRegion, 1);
         memory_region_init_alias(ram_low_postio, NULL,
                                  "mips_malta_low_postio.ram",
-                                 ram_high, 512 * MiB,
+                                 machine->ram, 512 * MiB,
                                  ram_size - 512 * MiB);
         memory_region_add_subregion(system_memory, 512 * MiB,
                                     ram_low_postio);
@@ -1448,6 +1445,7 @@ static void mips_malta_machine_init(MachineClass *mc)
 #else
     mc->default_cpu_type = MIPS_CPU_TYPE_NAME("24Kf");
 #endif
+    mc->default_ram_id = "mips_malta.ram";
 }
 
 DEFINE_MACHINE("malta", mips_malta_machine_init)
diff --git a/hw/mips/mips_mipssim.c b/hw/mips/mips_mipssim.c
index b934ca9d51..b2555ddb89 100644
--- a/hw/mips/mips_mipssim.c
+++ b/hw/mips/mips_mipssim.c
@@ -143,14 +143,12 @@ static void mipsnet_init(int base, qemu_irq irq, NICInfo *nd)
 static void
 mips_mipssim_init(MachineState *machine)
 {
-    ram_addr_t ram_size = machine->ram_size;
     const char *kernel_filename = machine->kernel_filename;
     const char *kernel_cmdline = machine->kernel_cmdline;
     const char *initrd_filename = machine->initrd_filename;
     char *filename;
     MemoryRegion *address_space_mem = get_system_memory();
     MemoryRegion *isa = g_new(MemoryRegion, 1);
-    MemoryRegion *ram = g_new(MemoryRegion, 1);
     MemoryRegion *bios = g_new(MemoryRegion, 1);
     MIPSCPU *cpu;
     CPUMIPSState *env;
@@ -167,13 +165,11 @@ mips_mipssim_init(MachineState *machine)
     qemu_register_reset(main_cpu_reset, reset_info);
 
     /* Allocate RAM. */
-    memory_region_allocate_system_memory(ram, NULL, "mips_mipssim.ram",
-                                         ram_size);
     memory_region_init_ram(bios, NULL, "mips_mipssim.bios", BIOS_SIZE,
                            &error_fatal);
     memory_region_set_readonly(bios, true);
 
-    memory_region_add_subregion(address_space_mem, 0, ram);
+    memory_region_add_subregion(address_space_mem, 0, machine->ram);
 
     /* Map the BIOS / boot exception handler. */
     memory_region_add_subregion(address_space_mem, 0x1fc00000LL, bios);
@@ -200,7 +196,7 @@ mips_mipssim_init(MachineState *machine)
     }
 
     if (kernel_filename) {
-        loaderparams.ram_size = ram_size;
+        loaderparams.ram_size = machine->ram_size;
         loaderparams.kernel_filename = kernel_filename;
         loaderparams.kernel_cmdline = kernel_cmdline;
         loaderparams.initrd_filename = initrd_filename;
@@ -245,6 +241,7 @@ static void mips_mipssim_machine_init(MachineClass *mc)
 #else
     mc->default_cpu_type = MIPS_CPU_TYPE_NAME("24Kf");
 #endif
+    mc->default_ram_id = "mips_mipssim.ram";
 }
 
 DEFINE_MACHINE("mipssim", mips_mipssim_machine_init)
diff --git a/hw/mips/mips_r4k.c b/hw/mips/mips_r4k.c
index b2aec434c3..258cd91578 100644
--- a/hw/mips/mips_r4k.c
+++ b/hw/mips/mips_r4k.c
@@ -171,13 +171,11 @@ static const int sector_len = 32 * KiB;
 static
 void mips_r4k_init(MachineState *machine)
 {
-    ram_addr_t ram_size = machine->ram_size;
     const char *kernel_filename = machine->kernel_filename;
     const char *kernel_cmdline = machine->kernel_cmdline;
     const char *initrd_filename = machine->initrd_filename;
     char *filename;
     MemoryRegion *address_space_mem = get_system_memory();
-    MemoryRegion *ram = g_new(MemoryRegion, 1);
     MemoryRegion *bios;
     MemoryRegion *iomem = g_new(MemoryRegion, 1);
     MemoryRegion *isa_io = g_new(MemoryRegion, 1);
@@ -203,14 +201,12 @@ void mips_r4k_init(MachineState *machine)
     qemu_register_reset(main_cpu_reset, reset_info);
 
     /* allocate RAM */
-    if (ram_size > 256 * MiB) {
+    if (machine->ram_size > 256 * MiB) {
         error_report("Too much memory for this machine: %" PRId64 "MB,"
                      " maximum 256MB", ram_size / MiB);
         exit(1);
     }
-    memory_region_allocate_system_memory(ram, NULL, "mips_r4k.ram", ram_size);
-
-    memory_region_add_subregion(address_space_mem, 0, ram);
+    memory_region_add_subregion(address_space_mem, 0, machine->ram);
 
     memory_region_init_io(iomem, NULL, &mips_qemu_ops,
                           NULL, "mips-qemu", 0x10000);
@@ -261,7 +257,7 @@ void mips_r4k_init(MachineState *machine)
     g_free(filename);
 
     if (kernel_filename) {
-        loaderparams.ram_size = ram_size;
+        loaderparams.ram_size = machine->ram_size;
         loaderparams.kernel_filename = kernel_filename;
         loaderparams.kernel_cmdline = kernel_cmdline;
         loaderparams.initrd_filename = initrd_filename;
@@ -316,7 +312,7 @@ static void mips_machine_init(MachineClass *mc)
 #else
     mc->default_cpu_type = MIPS_CPU_TYPE_NAME("24Kf");
 #endif
-
+    mc->default_ram_id = "mips_r4k.ram";
 }
 
 DEFINE_MACHINE("mips", mips_machine_init)
diff --git a/hw/misc/aspeed_sdmc.c b/hw/misc/aspeed_sdmc.c
index 9c184790cd..7b466bf19a 100644
--- a/hw/misc/aspeed_sdmc.c
+++ b/hw/misc/aspeed_sdmc.c
@@ -17,6 +17,9 @@
 #include "migration/vmstate.h"
 #include "qapi/error.h"
 #include "trace.h"
+#include "qemu/units.h"
+#include "qemu/cutils.h"
+#include "qapi/visitor.h"
 
 /* Protection Key Register */
 #define R_PROT            (0x00 / 4)
@@ -160,14 +163,9 @@ static int ast2400_rambits(AspeedSDMCState *s)
     case 512:
         return ASPEED_SDMC_DRAM_512MB;
     default:
+        g_assert_not_reached();
         break;
     }
-
-    /* use a common default */
-    warn_report("Invalid RAM size 0x%" PRIx64 ". Using default 256M",
-                s->ram_size);
-    s->ram_size = 256 << 20;
-    return ASPEED_SDMC_DRAM_256MB;
 }
 
 static int ast2500_rambits(AspeedSDMCState *s)
@@ -182,14 +180,9 @@ static int ast2500_rambits(AspeedSDMCState *s)
     case 1024:
         return ASPEED_SDMC_AST2500_1024MB;
     default:
+        g_assert_not_reached();
         break;
     }
-
-    /* use a common default */
-    warn_report("Invalid RAM size 0x%" PRIx64 ". Using default 512M",
-                s->ram_size);
-    s->ram_size = 512 << 20;
-    return ASPEED_SDMC_AST2500_512MB;
 }
 
 static int ast2600_rambits(AspeedSDMCState *s)
@@ -204,14 +197,9 @@ static int ast2600_rambits(AspeedSDMCState *s)
     case 2048:
         return ASPEED_SDMC_AST2600_2048MB;
     default:
+        g_assert_not_reached();
         break;
     }
-
-    /* use a common default */
-    warn_report("Invalid RAM size 0x%" PRIx64 ". Using default 1024M",
-                s->ram_size);
-    s->ram_size = 1024 << 20;
-    return ASPEED_SDMC_AST2600_1024MB;
 }
 
 static void aspeed_sdmc_reset(DeviceState *dev)
@@ -225,6 +213,51 @@ static void aspeed_sdmc_reset(DeviceState *dev)
     s->regs[R_CONF] = asc->compute_conf(s, 0);
 }
 
+static void aspeed_sdmc_get_ram_size(Object *obj, Visitor *v, const char *name,
+                                     void *opaque, Error **errp)
+{
+    AspeedSDMCState *s = ASPEED_SDMC(obj);
+    int64_t value = s->ram_size;
+
+    visit_type_int(v, name, &value, errp);
+}
+
+static void aspeed_sdmc_set_ram_size(Object *obj, Visitor *v, const char *name,
+                                     void *opaque, Error **errp)
+{
+    int i;
+    char *sz;
+    int64_t value;
+    Error *local_err = NULL;
+    AspeedSDMCState *s = ASPEED_SDMC(obj);
+    AspeedSDMCClass *asc = ASPEED_SDMC_GET_CLASS(s);
+
+    visit_type_int(v, name, &value, &local_err);
+    if (local_err) {
+        error_propagate(errp, local_err);
+        return;
+    }
+
+    for (i = 0; asc->valid_ram_sizes[i]; i++) {
+        if (value == asc->valid_ram_sizes[i]) {
+            s->ram_size = value;
+            return;
+        }
+    }
+
+    sz = size_to_str(value);
+    error_setg(&local_err, "Invalid RAM size %s", sz);
+    g_free(sz);
+    error_propagate(errp, local_err);
+}
+
+static void aspeed_sdmc_initfn(Object *obj)
+{
+    object_property_add(obj, "ram-size", "int",
+                        aspeed_sdmc_get_ram_size, aspeed_sdmc_set_ram_size,
+                        NULL, NULL, NULL);
+}
+
 static void aspeed_sdmc_realize(DeviceState *dev, Error **errp)
 {
     SysBusDevice *sbd = SYS_BUS_DEVICE(dev);
@@ -249,7 +282,6 @@ static const VMStateDescription vmstate_aspeed_sdmc = {
 };
 
 static Property aspeed_sdmc_properties[] = {
-    DEFINE_PROP_UINT64("ram-size", AspeedSDMCState, ram_size, 0),
     DEFINE_PROP_UINT64("max-ram-size", AspeedSDMCState, max_ram_size, 0),
     DEFINE_PROP_END_OF_LIST(),
 };
@@ -268,6 +300,7 @@ static const TypeInfo aspeed_sdmc_info = {
     .name = TYPE_ASPEED_SDMC,
     .parent = TYPE_SYS_BUS_DEVICE,
     .instance_size = sizeof(AspeedSDMCState),
+    .instance_init = aspeed_sdmc_initfn,
     .class_init = aspeed_sdmc_class_init,
     .class_size = sizeof(AspeedSDMCClass),
     .abstract   = true,
@@ -298,6 +331,9 @@ static void aspeed_2400_sdmc_write(AspeedSDMCState *s, uint32_t reg,
     s->regs[reg] = data;
 }
 
+static const uint64_t
+aspeed_2400_ram_sizes[] = { 64 * MiB, 128 * MiB, 256 * MiB, 512 * MiB, 0};
+
 static void aspeed_2400_sdmc_class_init(ObjectClass *klass, void *data)
 {
     DeviceClass *dc = DEVICE_CLASS(klass);
@@ -307,6 +343,7 @@ static void aspeed_2400_sdmc_class_init(ObjectClass *klass, void *data)
     asc->max_ram_size = 512 << 20;
     asc->compute_conf = aspeed_2400_sdmc_compute_conf;
     asc->write = aspeed_2400_sdmc_write;
+    asc->valid_ram_sizes = aspeed_2400_ram_sizes;
 }
 
 static const TypeInfo aspeed_2400_sdmc_info = {
@@ -351,6 +388,9 @@ static void aspeed_2500_sdmc_write(AspeedSDMCState *s, uint32_t reg,
     s->regs[reg] = data;
 }
 
+static const uint64_t
+aspeed_2500_ram_sizes[] = { 128 * MiB, 256 * MiB, 512 * MiB, 1024 * MiB, 0};
+
 static void aspeed_2500_sdmc_class_init(ObjectClass *klass, void *data)
 {
     DeviceClass *dc = DEVICE_CLASS(klass);
@@ -360,6 +400,7 @@ static void aspeed_2500_sdmc_class_init(ObjectClass *klass, void *data)
     asc->max_ram_size = 1024 << 20;
     asc->compute_conf = aspeed_2500_sdmc_compute_conf;
     asc->write = aspeed_2500_sdmc_write;
+    asc->valid_ram_sizes = aspeed_2500_ram_sizes;
 }
 
 static const TypeInfo aspeed_2500_sdmc_info = {
@@ -404,6 +445,9 @@ static void aspeed_2600_sdmc_write(AspeedSDMCState *s, uint32_t reg,
     s->regs[reg] = data;
 }
 
+static const uint64_t
+aspeed_2600_ram_sizes[] = { 256 * MiB, 512 * MiB, 1024 * MiB, 2048 * MiB, 0};
+
 static void aspeed_2600_sdmc_class_init(ObjectClass *klass, void *data)
 {
     DeviceClass *dc = DEVICE_CLASS(klass);
@@ -413,6 +457,7 @@ static void aspeed_2600_sdmc_class_init(ObjectClass *klass, void *data)
     asc->max_ram_size = 2048 << 20;
     asc->compute_conf = aspeed_2600_sdmc_compute_conf;
     asc->write = aspeed_2600_sdmc_write;
+    asc->valid_ram_sizes = aspeed_2600_ram_sizes;
 }
 
 static const TypeInfo aspeed_2600_sdmc_info = {
diff --git a/hw/ppc/e500.c b/hw/ppc/e500.c
index af537bba2b..854cd3ac46 100644
--- a/hw/ppc/e500.c
+++ b/hw/ppc/e500.c
@@ -832,7 +832,6 @@ static void ppce500_power_off(void *opaque, int line, int on)
 void ppce500_init(MachineState *machine)
 {
     MemoryRegion *address_space_mem = get_system_memory();
-    MemoryRegion *ram = g_new(MemoryRegion, 1);
     PPCE500MachineState *pms = PPCE500_MACHINE(machine);
     const PPCE500MachineClass *pmc = PPCE500_MACHINE_GET_CLASS(machine);
     PCIBus *pci_bus;
@@ -907,13 +906,13 @@ void ppce500_init(MachineState *machine)
 
     env = firstenv;
 
-    /* Fixup Memory size on a alignment boundary */
-    ram_size &= ~(RAM_SIZES_ALIGN - 1);
-    machine->ram_size = ram_size;
+    if (!QEMU_IS_ALIGNED(machine->ram_size, RAM_SIZES_ALIGN)) {
+        error_report("RAM size must be multiple of %" PRIu64, RAM_SIZES_ALIGN);
+        exit(EXIT_FAILURE);
+    }
 
     /* Register Memory */
-    memory_region_allocate_system_memory(ram, NULL, "mpc8544ds.ram", ram_size);
-    memory_region_add_subregion(address_space_mem, 0, ram);
+    memory_region_add_subregion(address_space_mem, 0, machine->ram);
 
     dev = qdev_create(NULL, "e500-ccsr");
     object_property_add_child(qdev_get_machine(), "e500-ccsr",
@@ -1084,7 +1083,7 @@ void ppce500_init(MachineState *machine)
         kernel_base = cur_base;
         kernel_size = load_image_targphys(machine->kernel_filename,
                                           cur_base,
-                                          ram_size - cur_base);
+                                          machine->ram_size - cur_base);
         if (kernel_size < 0) {
             error_report("could not load kernel '%s'",
                          machine->kernel_filename);
@@ -1098,7 +1097,7 @@ void ppce500_init(MachineState *machine)
     if (machine->initrd_filename) {
         initrd_base = (cur_base + INITRD_LOAD_PAD) & ~INITRD_PAD_MASK;
         initrd_size = load_image_targphys(machine->initrd_filename, initrd_base,
-                                          ram_size - initrd_base);
+                                          machine->ram_size - initrd_base);
 
         if (initrd_size < 0) {
             error_report("could not load initial ram disk '%s'",
@@ -1116,7 +1115,7 @@ void ppce500_init(MachineState *machine)
      * ensures enough space between kernel and initrd.
      */
     dt_base = (loadaddr + payload_size + DTC_LOAD_PAD) & ~DTC_PAD_MASK;
-    if (dt_base + DTB_MAX_SIZE > ram_size) {
+    if (dt_base + DTB_MAX_SIZE > machine->ram_size) {
             error_report("not enough memory for device tree");
             exit(1);
     }
diff --git a/hw/ppc/e500plat.c b/hw/ppc/e500plat.c
index 7078386300..bddd5e7c48 100644
--- a/hw/ppc/e500plat.c
+++ b/hw/ppc/e500plat.c
@@ -97,6 +97,7 @@ static void e500plat_machine_class_init(ObjectClass *oc, void *data)
     mc->init = e500plat_init;
     mc->max_cpus = 32;
     mc->default_cpu_type = POWERPC_CPU_TYPE_NAME("e500v2_v30");
+    mc->default_ram_id = "mpc8544ds.ram";
     machine_class_allow_dynamic_sysbus_dev(mc, TYPE_ETSEC_COMMON);
  }
 
diff --git a/hw/ppc/mac_newworld.c b/hw/ppc/mac_newworld.c
index 464d012103..b8189bf7a4 100644
--- a/hw/ppc/mac_newworld.c
+++ b/hw/ppc/mac_newworld.c
@@ -118,7 +118,7 @@ static void ppc_core99_init(MachineState *machine)
     char *filename;
     IrqLines *openpic_irqs;
     int linux_boot, i, j, k;
-    MemoryRegion *ram = g_new(MemoryRegion, 1), *bios = g_new(MemoryRegion, 1);
+    MemoryRegion *bios = g_new(MemoryRegion, 1);
     hwaddr kernel_base, initrd_base, cmdline_base = 0;
     long kernel_size, initrd_size;
     UNINHostState *uninorth_pci;
@@ -152,8 +152,7 @@ static void ppc_core99_init(MachineState *machine)
     }
 
     /* allocate RAM */
-    memory_region_allocate_system_memory(ram, NULL, "ppc_core99.ram", ram_size);
-    memory_region_add_subregion(get_system_memory(), 0, ram);
+    memory_region_add_subregion(get_system_memory(), 0, machine->ram);
 
     /* allocate and load BIOS */
     memory_region_init_ram(bios, NULL, "ppc_core99.bios", BIOS_SIZE,
@@ -586,6 +585,7 @@ static void core99_machine_class_init(ObjectClass *oc, void *data)
 #else
     mc->default_cpu_type = POWERPC_CPU_TYPE_NAME("7400_v2.9");
 #endif
+    mc->default_ram_id = "ppc_core99.ram";
     mc->ignore_boot_device_suffixes = true;
     fwc->get_dev_path = core99_fw_dev_path;
 }
diff --git a/hw/ppc/mac_oldworld.c b/hw/ppc/mac_oldworld.c
index 7318d7e9b4..66e434bba3 100644
--- a/hw/ppc/mac_oldworld.c
+++ b/hw/ppc/mac_oldworld.c
@@ -91,7 +91,6 @@ static void ppc_heathrow_init(MachineState *machine)
     CPUPPCState *env = NULL;
     char *filename;
     int linux_boot, i;
-    MemoryRegion *ram = g_new(MemoryRegion, 1);
     MemoryRegion *bios = g_new(MemoryRegion, 1);
     uint32_t kernel_base, initrd_base, cmdline_base = 0;
     int32_t kernel_size, initrd_size;
@@ -127,9 +126,7 @@ static void ppc_heathrow_init(MachineState *machine)
         exit(1);
     }
 
-    memory_region_allocate_system_memory(ram, NULL, "ppc_heathrow.ram",
-                                         ram_size);
-    memory_region_add_subregion(sysmem, 0, ram);
+    memory_region_add_subregion(sysmem, 0, machine->ram);
 
     /* allocate and load BIOS */
     memory_region_init_ram(bios, NULL, "ppc_heathrow.bios", BIOS_SIZE,
@@ -446,6 +443,7 @@ static void heathrow_class_init(ObjectClass *oc, void *data)
     mc->default_cpu_type = POWERPC_CPU_TYPE_NAME("750_v3.1");
     mc->default_display = "std";
     mc->ignore_boot_device_suffixes = true;
+    mc->default_ram_id = "ppc_heathrow.ram";
     fwc->get_dev_path = heathrow_fw_dev_path;
 }
 
diff --git a/hw/ppc/mpc8544ds.c b/hw/ppc/mpc8544ds.c
index c2c5e11fa1..81177505f0 100644
--- a/hw/ppc/mpc8544ds.c
+++ b/hw/ppc/mpc8544ds.c
@@ -55,6 +55,7 @@ static void e500plat_machine_class_init(ObjectClass *oc, void *data)
     mc->init = mpc8544ds_init;
     mc->max_cpus = 15;
     mc->default_cpu_type = POWERPC_CPU_TYPE_NAME("e500v2_v30");
+    mc->default_ram_id = "mpc8544ds.ram";
 }
 
 #define TYPE_MPC8544DS_MACHINE  MACHINE_TYPE_NAME("mpc8544ds")
diff --git a/hw/ppc/pnv.c b/hw/ppc/pnv.c
index e98038b809..b75ad06390 100644
--- a/hw/ppc/pnv.c
+++ b/hw/ppc/pnv.c
@@ -692,7 +692,6 @@ static void pnv_init(MachineState *machine)
 {
     PnvMachineState *pnv = PNV_MACHINE(machine);
     MachineClass *mc = MACHINE_GET_CLASS(machine);
-    MemoryRegion *ram;
     char *fw_filename;
     long fw_size;
     int i;
@@ -704,11 +703,7 @@ static void pnv_init(MachineState *machine)
     if (machine->ram_size < (1 * GiB)) {
         warn_report("skiboot may not work with < 1GB of RAM");
     }
-
-    ram = g_new(MemoryRegion, 1);
-    memory_region_allocate_system_memory(ram, NULL, "pnv.ram",
-                                         machine->ram_size);
-    memory_region_add_subregion(get_system_memory(), 0, ram);
+    memory_region_add_subregion(get_system_memory(), 0, machine->ram);
 
     /*
      * Create our simple PNOR device
@@ -1978,6 +1973,7 @@ static void pnv_machine_class_init(ObjectClass *oc, void *data)
      * enough to fit the maximum initrd size at it's load address
      */
     mc->default_ram_size = INITRD_LOAD_ADDR + INITRD_MAX_SIZE;
+    mc->default_ram_id = "pnv.ram";
     ispc->print_info = pnv_pic_print_info;
 
     object_class_property_add_bool(oc, "hb-mode",
diff --git a/hw/ppc/ppc405_boards.c b/hw/ppc/ppc405_boards.c
index 1f721feed6..de93c40f1a 100644
--- a/hw/ppc/ppc405_boards.c
+++ b/hw/ppc/ppc405_boards.c
@@ -40,6 +40,7 @@
 #include "qemu/error-report.h"
 #include "hw/loader.h"
 #include "exec/address-spaces.h"
+#include "qemu/cutils.h"
 
 #define BIOS_FILENAME "ppc405_rom.bin"
 #define BIOS_SIZE (2 * MiB)
@@ -137,7 +138,7 @@ static void ref405ep_fpga_init(MemoryRegion *sysmem, uint32_t base)
 
 static void ref405ep_init(MachineState *machine)
 {
-    ram_addr_t ram_size = machine->ram_size;
+    MachineClass *mc = MACHINE_GET_CLASS(machine);
     const char *kernel_filename = machine->kernel_filename;
     const char *kernel_cmdline = machine->kernel_cmdline;
     const char *initrd_filename = machine->initrd_filename;
@@ -161,15 +162,21 @@ static void ref405ep_init(MachineState *machine)
     DriveInfo *dinfo;
     MemoryRegion *sysmem = get_system_memory();
 
+    if (machine->ram_size != mc->default_ram_size) {
+        char *sz = size_to_str(mc->default_ram_size);
+        error_report("Invalid RAM size, should be %s", sz);
+        g_free(sz);
+        exit(EXIT_FAILURE);
+    }
+
     /* XXX: fix this */
-    memory_region_allocate_system_memory(&ram_memories[0], NULL, "ef405ep.ram",
-                                         0x08000000);
+    memory_region_init_alias(&ram_memories[0], NULL, "ef405ep.ram.alias",
+                             machine->ram, 0, machine->ram_size);
     ram_bases[0] = 0;
-    ram_sizes[0] = 0x08000000;
+    ram_sizes[0] = machine->ram_size;
     memory_region_init(&ram_memories[1], NULL, "ef405ep.ram1", 0);
     ram_bases[1] = 0x00000000;
     ram_sizes[1] = 0x00000000;
-    ram_size = 128 * MiB;
     env = ppc405ep_init(sysmem, ram_memories, ram_bases, ram_sizes,
                         33333333, &pic, kernel_filename == NULL ? 0 : 1);
     /* allocate SRAM */
@@ -227,7 +234,7 @@ static void ref405ep_init(MachineState *machine)
     if (linux_boot) {
         memset(&bd, 0, sizeof(bd));
         bd.bi_memstart = 0x00000000;
-        bd.bi_memsize = ram_size;
+        bd.bi_memsize = machine->ram_size;
         bd.bi_flashstart = -bios_size;
         bd.bi_flashsize = -bios_size;
         bd.bi_flashoffset = 0;
@@ -255,7 +262,7 @@ static void ref405ep_init(MachineState *machine)
         kernel_base = KERNEL_LOAD_ADDR;
         /* now we can load the kernel */
         kernel_size = load_image_targphys(kernel_filename, kernel_base,
-                                          ram_size - kernel_base);
+                                          machine->ram_size - kernel_base);
         if (kernel_size < 0) {
             error_report("could not load kernel '%s'", kernel_filename);
             exit(1);
@@ -266,7 +273,7 @@ static void ref405ep_init(MachineState *machine)
         if (initrd_filename) {
             initrd_base = INITRD_LOAD_ADDR;
             initrd_size = load_image_targphys(initrd_filename, initrd_base,
-                                              ram_size - initrd_base);
+                                              machine->ram_size - initrd_base);
             if (initrd_size < 0) {
                 error_report("could not load initial ram disk '%s'",
                              initrd_filename);
@@ -304,6 +311,8 @@ static void ref405ep_class_init(ObjectClass *oc, void *data)
 
     mc->desc = "ref405ep";
     mc->init = ref405ep_init;
+    mc->default_ram_size = 0x08000000;
+    mc->default_ram_id = "ef405ep.ram";
 }
 
 static const TypeInfo ref405ep_type = {
@@ -408,7 +417,7 @@ static void taihu_cpld_init(MemoryRegion *sysmem, uint32_t base)
 
 static void taihu_405ep_init(MachineState *machine)
 {
-    ram_addr_t ram_size = machine->ram_size;
+    MachineClass *mc = MACHINE_GET_CLASS(machine);
     const char *kernel_filename = machine->kernel_filename;
     const char *initrd_filename = machine->initrd_filename;
     char *filename;
@@ -416,7 +425,6 @@ static void taihu_405ep_init(MachineState *machine)
     MemoryRegion *sysmem = get_system_memory();
     MemoryRegion *bios;
     MemoryRegion *ram_memories = g_new(MemoryRegion, 2);
-    MemoryRegion *ram = g_malloc0(sizeof(*ram));
     hwaddr ram_bases[2], ram_sizes[2];
     long bios_size;
     target_ulong kernel_base, initrd_base;
@@ -425,20 +433,22 @@ static void taihu_405ep_init(MachineState *machine)
     int fl_idx;
     DriveInfo *dinfo;
 
-    /* RAM is soldered to the board so the size cannot be changed */
-    ram_size = 0x08000000;
-    memory_region_allocate_system_memory(ram, NULL, "taihu_405ep.ram",
-                                         ram_size);
+    if (machine->ram_size != mc->default_ram_size) {
+        char *sz = size_to_str(mc->default_ram_size);
+        error_report("Invalid RAM size, should be %s", sz);
+        g_free(sz);
+        exit(EXIT_FAILURE);
+    }
 
     ram_bases[0] = 0;
     ram_sizes[0] = 0x04000000;
     memory_region_init_alias(&ram_memories[0], NULL,
-                             "taihu_405ep.ram-0", ram, ram_bases[0],
+                             "taihu_405ep.ram-0", machine->ram, ram_bases[0],
                              ram_sizes[0]);
     ram_bases[1] = 0x04000000;
     ram_sizes[1] = 0x04000000;
     memory_region_init_alias(&ram_memories[1], NULL,
-                             "taihu_405ep.ram-1", ram, ram_bases[1],
+                             "taihu_405ep.ram-1", machine->ram, ram_bases[1],
                              ram_sizes[1]);
     ppc405ep_init(sysmem, ram_memories, ram_bases, ram_sizes,
                   33333333, &pic, kernel_filename == NULL ? 0 : 1);
@@ -500,7 +510,7 @@ static void taihu_405ep_init(MachineState *machine)
         kernel_base = KERNEL_LOAD_ADDR;
         /* now we can load the kernel */
         kernel_size = load_image_targphys(kernel_filename, kernel_base,
-                                          ram_size - kernel_base);
+                                          machine->ram_size - kernel_base);
         if (kernel_size < 0) {
             error_report("could not load kernel '%s'", kernel_filename);
             exit(1);
@@ -509,7 +519,7 @@ static void taihu_405ep_init(MachineState *machine)
         if (initrd_filename) {
             initrd_base = INITRD_LOAD_ADDR;
             initrd_size = load_image_targphys(initrd_filename, initrd_base,
-                                              ram_size - initrd_base);
+                                              machine->ram_size - initrd_base);
             if (initrd_size < 0) {
                 error_report("could not load initial ram disk '%s'",
                              initrd_filename);
@@ -533,6 +543,8 @@ static void taihu_class_init(ObjectClass *oc, void *data)
 
     mc->desc = "taihu";
     mc->init = taihu_405ep_init;
+    mc->default_ram_size = 0x08000000;
+    mc->default_ram_id = "taihu_405ep.ram";
 }
 
 static const TypeInfo taihu_type = {
diff --git a/hw/ppc/ppc440_bamboo.c b/hw/ppc/ppc440_bamboo.c
index da777ef9c2..4c5e9e4373 100644
--- a/hw/ppc/ppc440_bamboo.c
+++ b/hw/ppc/ppc440_bamboo.c
@@ -158,7 +158,6 @@ static void main_cpu_reset(void *opaque)
 
 static void bamboo_init(MachineState *machine)
 {
-    ram_addr_t ram_size = machine->ram_size;
     const char *kernel_filename = machine->kernel_filename;
     const char *kernel_cmdline = machine->kernel_cmdline;
     const char *initrd_filename = machine->initrd_filename;
@@ -203,10 +202,8 @@ static void bamboo_init(MachineState *machine)
     /* SDRAM controller */
     memset(ram_bases, 0, sizeof(ram_bases));
     memset(ram_sizes, 0, sizeof(ram_sizes));
-    ram_size = ppc4xx_sdram_adjust(ram_size, PPC440EP_SDRAM_NR_BANKS,
-                                   ram_memories,
-                                   ram_bases, ram_sizes,
-                                   ppc440ep_sdram_bank_sizes);
+    ppc4xx_sdram_banks(machine->ram, PPC440EP_SDRAM_NR_BANKS, ram_memories,
+                       ram_bases, ram_sizes, ppc440ep_sdram_bank_sizes);
     /* XXX 440EP's ECC interrupts are on UIC1, but we've only created UIC0. */
     ppc4xx_sdram_init(env, pic[14], PPC440EP_SDRAM_NR_BANKS, ram_memories,
                       ram_bases, ram_sizes, 1);
@@ -268,7 +265,7 @@ static void bamboo_init(MachineState *machine)
     /* Load initrd. */
     if (initrd_filename) {
         initrd_size = load_image_targphys(initrd_filename, RAMDISK_ADDR,
-                                          ram_size - RAMDISK_ADDR);
+                                          machine->ram_size - RAMDISK_ADDR);
 
         if (initrd_size < 0) {
             error_report("could not load ram disk '%s' at %x",
@@ -279,7 +276,7 @@ static void bamboo_init(MachineState *machine)
 
     /* If we're loading a kernel directly, we must load the device tree too. */
     if (kernel_filename) {
-        if (bamboo_load_device_tree(FDT_ADDR, ram_size, RAMDISK_ADDR,
+        if (bamboo_load_device_tree(FDT_ADDR, machine->ram_size, RAMDISK_ADDR,
                                     initrd_size, kernel_cmdline) < 0) {
             error_report("couldn't load device tree");
             exit(1);
@@ -292,6 +289,7 @@ static void bamboo_machine_init(MachineClass *mc)
     mc->desc = "bamboo";
     mc->init = bamboo_init;
     mc->default_cpu_type = POWERPC_CPU_TYPE_NAME("440epb");
+    mc->default_ram_id = "ppc4xx.sdram";
 }
 
 DEFINE_MACHINE("bamboo", bamboo_machine_init)
diff --git a/hw/ppc/ppc4xx_devs.c b/hw/ppc/ppc4xx_devs.c
index c2e50138aa..3376c43ff5 100644
--- a/hw/ppc/ppc4xx_devs.c
+++ b/hw/ppc/ppc4xx_devs.c
@@ -666,21 +666,22 @@ void ppc4xx_sdram_init (CPUPPCState *env, qemu_irq irq, int nbanks,
         sdram_map_bcr(sdram);
 }
 
-/* Fill in consecutive SDRAM banks with 'ram_size' bytes of memory.
+/*
+ * Split RAM between SDRAM banks.
  *
- * sdram_bank_sizes[] must be 0-terminated.
+ * sdram_bank_sizes[] must be in descending order, that is sizes[i] > sizes[i+1]
+ * and must be 0-terminated.
  *
  * The 4xx SDRAM controller supports a small number of banks, and each bank
  * must be one of a small set of sizes. The number of banks and the supported
- * sizes varies by SoC. */
-ram_addr_t ppc4xx_sdram_adjust(ram_addr_t ram_size, int nr_banks,
-                               MemoryRegion ram_memories[],
-                               hwaddr ram_bases[],
-                               hwaddr ram_sizes[],
-                               const ram_addr_t sdram_bank_sizes[])
+ * sizes varies by SoC.
+ */
+void ppc4xx_sdram_banks(MemoryRegion *ram, int nr_banks,
+                        MemoryRegion ram_memories[],
+                        hwaddr ram_bases[], hwaddr ram_sizes[],
+                        const ram_addr_t sdram_bank_sizes[])
 {
-    MemoryRegion *ram = g_malloc0(sizeof(*ram));
-    ram_addr_t size_left = ram_size;
+    ram_addr_t size_left = memory_region_size(ram);
     ram_addr_t base = 0;
     ram_addr_t bank_size;
     int i;
@@ -690,7 +691,16 @@ ram_addr_t ppc4xx_sdram_adjust(ram_addr_t ram_size, int nr_banks,
         for (j = 0; sdram_bank_sizes[j] != 0; j++) {
             bank_size = sdram_bank_sizes[j];
             if (bank_size <= size_left) {
+                char name[32];
+
+                ram_bases[i] = base;
+                ram_sizes[i] = bank_size;
+                base += bank_size;
                 size_left -= bank_size;
+                snprintf(name, sizeof(name), "ppc4xx.sdram%d", i);
+                memory_region_init_alias(&ram_memories[i], NULL, name, ram,
+                                         ram_bases[i], ram_sizes[i]);
+                break;
             }
         }
         if (!size_left) {
@@ -699,34 +709,23 @@ ram_addr_t ppc4xx_sdram_adjust(ram_addr_t ram_size, int nr_banks,
         }
     }
 
-    ram_size -= size_left;
     if (size_left) {
-        error_report("Truncating memory to %" PRId64 " MiB to fit SDRAM"
-                     " controller limits", ram_size / MiB);
-    }
+        ram_addr_t used_size = memory_region_size(ram) - size_left;
+        GString *s = g_string_new(NULL);
 
-    memory_region_allocate_system_memory(ram, NULL, "ppc4xx.sdram", ram_size);
-
-    size_left = ram_size;
-    for (i = 0; i < nr_banks && size_left; i++) {
-        for (j = 0; sdram_bank_sizes[j] != 0; j++) {
-            bank_size = sdram_bank_sizes[j];
-
-            if (bank_size <= size_left) {
-                char name[32];
-                snprintf(name, sizeof(name), "ppc4xx.sdram%d", i);
-                memory_region_init_alias(&ram_memories[i], NULL, name, ram,
-                                         base, bank_size);
-                ram_bases[i] = base;
-                ram_sizes[i] = bank_size;
-                base += bank_size;
-                size_left -= bank_size;
-                break;
-            }
+        for (i = 0; sdram_bank_sizes[i]; i++) {
+            g_string_append_printf(s, "%" PRIi64 "%s",
+                                   sdram_bank_sizes[i] / MiB,
+                                   sdram_bank_sizes[i + 1] ? " ," : "");
         }
-    }
+        error_report("Max %d banks of %s MB DIMM/bank supported",
+            nr_banks, s->str);
+        error_report("Possible valid RAM size: %" PRIi64,
+            used_size ? used_size / MiB : sdram_bank_sizes[i - 1] / MiB);
 
-    return ram_size;
+        g_string_free(s, true);
+        exit(EXIT_FAILURE);
+    }
 }
 
 /*****************************************************************************/
diff --git a/hw/ppc/sam460ex.c b/hw/ppc/sam460ex.c
index 89bc70eb94..898453cf30 100644
--- a/hw/ppc/sam460ex.c
+++ b/hw/ppc/sam460ex.c
@@ -324,9 +324,8 @@ static void sam460ex_init(MachineState *machine)
     /* SDRAM controller */
     /* put all RAM on first bank because board has one slot
      * and firmware only checks that */
-    machine->ram_size = ppc4xx_sdram_adjust(machine->ram_size, 1,
-                                   ram_memories, ram_bases, ram_sizes,
-                                   ppc460ex_sdram_bank_sizes);
+    ppc4xx_sdram_banks(machine->ram, 1, ram_memories, ram_bases, ram_sizes,
+                       ppc460ex_sdram_bank_sizes);
 
     /* FIXME: does 460EX have ECC interrupts? */
     ppc440_sdram_init(env, SDRAM_NR_BANKS, ram_memories,
@@ -485,6 +484,7 @@ static void sam460ex_machine_init(MachineClass *mc)
     mc->init = sam460ex_init;
     mc->default_cpu_type = POWERPC_CPU_TYPE_NAME("460exb");
     mc->default_ram_size = 512 * MiB;
+    mc->default_ram_id = "ppc4xx.sdram";
 }
 
 DEFINE_MACHINE("sam460ex", sam460ex_machine_init)
diff --git a/hw/ppc/spapr.c b/hw/ppc/spapr.c
index 828e2cc135..c03ce6afb9 100644
--- a/hw/ppc/spapr.c
+++ b/hw/ppc/spapr.c
@@ -2652,7 +2652,6 @@ static void spapr_machine_init(MachineState *machine)
     PCIHostState *phb;
     int i;
     MemoryRegion *sysmem = get_system_memory();
-    MemoryRegion *ram = g_new(MemoryRegion, 1);
     hwaddr node0_size = spapr_node0_size(machine);
     long load_limit, fw_size;
     char *filename;
@@ -2831,10 +2830,8 @@ static void spapr_machine_init(MachineState *machine)
         kvmppc_enable_h_page_init();
     }
 
-    /* allocate RAM */
-    memory_region_allocate_system_memory(ram, NULL, "ppc_spapr.ram",
-                                         machine->ram_size);
-    memory_region_add_subregion(sysmem, 0, ram);
+    /* map RAM */
+    memory_region_add_subregion(sysmem, 0, machine->ram);
 
     /* always allocate the device memory information */
     machine->device_memory = g_malloc0(sizeof(*machine->device_memory));
@@ -4473,6 +4470,7 @@ static void spapr_machine_class_init(ObjectClass *oc, void *data)
     mc->no_parallel = 1;
     mc->default_boot_order = "";
     mc->default_ram_size = 512 * MiB;
+    mc->default_ram_id = "ppc_spapr.ram";
     mc->default_display = "std";
     mc->kvm_type = spapr_kvm_type;
     machine_class_allow_dynamic_sysbus_dev(mc, TYPE_SPAPR_PCI_HOST_BRIDGE);
diff --git a/hw/ppc/virtex_ml507.c b/hw/ppc/virtex_ml507.c
index 4eef70069f..0dacfcd236 100644
--- a/hw/ppc/virtex_ml507.c
+++ b/hw/ppc/virtex_ml507.c
@@ -194,7 +194,6 @@ static int xilinx_load_device_tree(hwaddr addr,
 
 static void virtex_init(MachineState *machine)
 {
-    ram_addr_t ram_size = machine->ram_size;
     const char *kernel_filename = machine->kernel_filename;
     const char *kernel_cmdline = machine->kernel_cmdline;
     hwaddr initrd_base = 0;
@@ -205,7 +204,6 @@ static void virtex_init(MachineState *machine)
     CPUPPCState *env;
     hwaddr ram_base = 0;
     DriveInfo *dinfo;
-    MemoryRegion *phys_ram = g_new(MemoryRegion, 1);
     qemu_irq irq[32], *cpu_irq;
     int kernel_size;
     int i;
@@ -222,8 +220,7 @@ static void virtex_init(MachineState *machine)
 
     qemu_register_reset(main_cpu_reset, cpu);
 
-    memory_region_allocate_system_memory(phys_ram, NULL, "ram", ram_size);
-    memory_region_add_subregion(address_space_mem, ram_base, phys_ram);
+    memory_region_add_subregion(address_space_mem, ram_base, machine->ram);
 
     dinfo = drive_get(IF_PFLASH, 0, 0);
     pflash_cfi01_register(PFLASH_BASEADDR, "virtex.flash", FLASH_SIZE,
@@ -266,7 +263,7 @@ static void virtex_init(MachineState *machine)
             /* If we failed loading ELF's try a raw image.  */
             kernel_size = load_image_targphys(kernel_filename,
                                               boot_offset,
-                                              ram_size);
+                                              machine->ram_size);
             boot_info.bootstrap_pc = boot_offset;
             high = boot_info.bootstrap_pc + kernel_size + 8192;
         }
@@ -277,7 +274,7 @@ static void virtex_init(MachineState *machine)
         if (machine->initrd_filename) {
             initrd_base = high = ROUND_UP(high, 4);
             initrd_size = load_image_targphys(machine->initrd_filename,
-                                              high, ram_size - high);
+                                              high, machine->ram_size - high);
 
             if (initrd_size < 0) {
                 error_report("couldn't load ram disk '%s'",
@@ -291,7 +288,7 @@ static void virtex_init(MachineState *machine)
         boot_info.fdt = high + (8192 * 2);
         boot_info.fdt &= ~8191;
 
-        xilinx_load_device_tree(boot_info.fdt, ram_size,
+        xilinx_load_device_tree(boot_info.fdt, machine->ram_size,
                                 initrd_base, initrd_size,
                                 kernel_cmdline);
     }
@@ -303,6 +300,7 @@ static void virtex_machine_init(MachineClass *mc)
     mc->desc = "Xilinx Virtex ML507 reference design";
     mc->init = virtex_init;
     mc->default_cpu_type = POWERPC_CPU_TYPE_NAME("440-xilinx");
+    mc->default_ram_id = "ram";
 }
 
 DEFINE_MACHINE("virtex-ml507", virtex_machine_init)
diff --git a/hw/s390x/s390-virtio-ccw.c b/hw/s390x/s390-virtio-ccw.c
index e759eb5f83..a89cf4c129 100644
--- a/hw/s390x/s390-virtio-ccw.c
+++ b/hw/s390x/s390-virtio-ccw.c
@@ -154,14 +154,12 @@ static void virtio_ccw_register_hcalls(void)
                                    virtio_ccw_hcall_early_printk);
 }
 
-static void s390_memory_init(ram_addr_t mem_size)
+static void s390_memory_init(MemoryRegion *ram)
 {
     MemoryRegion *sysmem = get_system_memory();
-    MemoryRegion *ram = g_new(MemoryRegion, 1);
     Error *local_err = NULL;
 
     /* allocate RAM for core */
-    memory_region_allocate_system_memory(ram, NULL, "s390.ram", mem_size);
     memory_region_add_subregion(sysmem, 0, ram);
 
     /*
@@ -245,7 +243,7 @@ static void ccw_init(MachineState *machine)
 
     s390_sclp_init();
     /* init memory + setup max page size. Required for the CPU model */
-    s390_memory_init(machine->ram_size);
+    s390_memory_init(machine->ram);
 
     /* init CPUs (incl. CPU model) early so s390_has_feature() works */
     s390_init_cpus(machine);
@@ -471,6 +469,7 @@ static void ccw_machine_class_init(ObjectClass *oc, void *data)
     hc->plug = s390_machine_device_plug;
     hc->unplug_request = s390_machine_device_unplug_request;
     nc->nmi_monitor_handler = s390_nmi;
+    mc->default_ram_id = "s390.ram";
 }
 
 static inline bool machine_get_aes_key_wrap(Object *obj, Error **errp)
diff --git a/hw/sparc/leon3.c b/hw/sparc/leon3.c
index f5a087dd86..5fa58aa55f 100644
--- a/hw/sparc/leon3.c
+++ b/hw/sparc/leon3.c
@@ -189,7 +189,6 @@ static void leon3_generic_hw_init(MachineState *machine)
     SPARCCPU *cpu;
     CPUSPARCState   *env;
     MemoryRegion *address_space_mem = get_system_memory();
-    MemoryRegion *ram = g_new(MemoryRegion, 1);
     MemoryRegion *prom = g_new(MemoryRegion, 1);
     int         ret;
     char       *filename;
@@ -251,8 +250,8 @@ static void leon3_generic_hw_init(MachineState *machine)
         exit(1);
     }
 
-    memory_region_allocate_system_memory(ram, NULL, "leon3.ram", ram_size);
-    memory_region_add_subregion(address_space_mem, LEON3_RAM_OFFSET, ram);
+    memory_region_add_subregion(address_space_mem, LEON3_RAM_OFFSET,
+                                machine->ram);
 
     /* Allocate BIOS */
     prom_size = 8 * MiB;
@@ -358,6 +357,7 @@ static void leon3_generic_machine_init(MachineClass *mc)
     mc->desc = "Leon-3 generic";
     mc->init = leon3_generic_hw_init;
     mc->default_cpu_type = SPARC_CPU_TYPE_NAME("LEON3");
+    mc->default_ram_id = "leon3.ram";
 }
 
 DEFINE_MACHINE("leon3_generic", leon3_generic_machine_init)
diff --git a/hw/sparc/sun4m.c b/hw/sparc/sun4m.c
index 25e96db5ca..f5bf95fc9f 100644
--- a/hw/sparc/sun4m.c
+++ b/hw/sparc/sun4m.c
@@ -777,63 +777,42 @@ static const TypeInfo prom_info = {
 
 typedef struct RamDevice {
     SysBusDevice parent_obj;
-
-    MemoryRegion ram;
-    uint64_t size;
+    HostMemoryBackend *memdev;
 } RamDevice;
 
 /* System RAM */
 static void ram_realize(DeviceState *dev, Error **errp)
 {
     RamDevice *d = SUN4M_RAM(dev);
-    SysBusDevice *sbd = SYS_BUS_DEVICE(dev);
+    MemoryRegion *ram = host_memory_backend_get_memory(d->memdev);
 
-    memory_region_allocate_system_memory(&d->ram, OBJECT(d), "sun4m.ram",
-                                         d->size);
-    sysbus_init_mmio(sbd, &d->ram);
+    sysbus_init_mmio(SYS_BUS_DEVICE(dev), ram);
 }
 
-static void ram_init(hwaddr addr, ram_addr_t RAM_size,
-                     uint64_t max_mem)
+static void ram_initfn(Object *obj)
 {
-    DeviceState *dev;
-    SysBusDevice *s;
-    RamDevice *d;
-
-    /* allocate RAM */
-    if ((uint64_t)RAM_size > max_mem) {
-        error_report("Too much memory for this machine: %" PRId64 ","
-                     " maximum %" PRId64,
-                     RAM_size / MiB, max_mem / MiB);
-        exit(1);
-    }
-    dev = qdev_create(NULL, "memory");
-    s = SYS_BUS_DEVICE(dev);
-
-    d = SUN4M_RAM(dev);
-    d->size = RAM_size;
-    qdev_init_nofail(dev);
-
-    sysbus_mmio_map(s, 0, addr);
+    RamDevice *d = SUN4M_RAM(obj);
+    object_property_add_link(obj, "memdev", TYPE_MEMORY_BACKEND,
+                             (Object **)&d->memdev,
+                             object_property_allow_set_link,
+                             OBJ_PROP_LINK_STRONG, &error_abort);
+    object_property_set_description(obj, "memdev", "Set RAM backend"
+                                    "Valid value is ID of a hostmem backend",
+                                     &error_abort);
 }
 
-static Property ram_properties[] = {
-    DEFINE_PROP_UINT64("size", RamDevice, size, 0),
-    DEFINE_PROP_END_OF_LIST(),
-};
-
 static void ram_class_init(ObjectClass *klass, void *data)
 {
     DeviceClass *dc = DEVICE_CLASS(klass);
 
     dc->realize = ram_realize;
-    device_class_set_props(dc, ram_properties);
 }
 
 static const TypeInfo ram_info = {
     .name          = TYPE_SUN4M_MEMORY,
     .parent        = TYPE_SYS_BUS_DEVICE,
     .instance_size = sizeof(RamDevice),
+    .instance_init = ram_initfn,
     .class_init    = ram_class_init,
 };
 
@@ -879,6 +858,15 @@ static void sun4m_hw_init(const struct sun4m_hwdef *hwdef,
     SysBusDevice *s;
     unsigned int smp_cpus = machine->smp.cpus;
     unsigned int max_cpus = machine->smp.max_cpus;
+    Object *ram_memdev = object_resolve_path_type(machine->ram_memdev_id,
+                                                  TYPE_MEMORY_BACKEND, NULL);
+
+    if (machine->ram_size > hwdef->max_mem) {
+        error_report("Too much memory for this machine: %" PRId64 ","
+                     " maximum %" PRId64,
+                     machine->ram_size / MiB, hwdef->max_mem / MiB);
+        exit(1);
+    }
 
     /* init CPUs */
     for(i = 0; i < smp_cpus; i++) {
@@ -888,9 +876,12 @@ static void sun4m_hw_init(const struct sun4m_hwdef *hwdef,
     for (i = smp_cpus; i < MAX_CPUS; i++)
         cpu_irqs[i] = qemu_allocate_irqs(dummy_cpu_set_irq, NULL, MAX_PILS);
 
+    /* Create and map RAM frontend */
+    dev = qdev_create(NULL, "memory");
+    object_property_set_link(OBJECT(dev), ram_memdev, "memdev", &error_fatal);
+    qdev_init_nofail(dev);
+    sysbus_mmio_map(SYS_BUS_DEVICE(dev), 0, 0);
 
-    /* set up devices */
-    ram_init(0, machine->ram_size, hwdef->max_mem);
     /* models without ECC don't trap when missing ram is accessed */
     if (!hwdef->ecc_base) {
         empty_slot_init(machine->ram_size, hwdef->max_mem - machine->ram_size);
@@ -1078,7 +1069,7 @@ static void sun4m_hw_init(const struct sun4m_hwdef *hwdef,
 
     fw_cfg_add_i16(fw_cfg, FW_CFG_NB_CPUS, (uint16_t)smp_cpus);
     fw_cfg_add_i16(fw_cfg, FW_CFG_MAX_CPUS, (uint16_t)max_cpus);
-    fw_cfg_add_i64(fw_cfg, FW_CFG_RAM_SIZE, (uint64_t)ram_size);
+    fw_cfg_add_i64(fw_cfg, FW_CFG_RAM_SIZE, (uint64_t)machine->ram_size);
     fw_cfg_add_i16(fw_cfg, FW_CFG_MACHINE_ID, hwdef->machine_id);
     fw_cfg_add_i16(fw_cfg, FW_CFG_SUN4M_DEPTH, graphic_depth);
     fw_cfg_add_i16(fw_cfg, FW_CFG_SUN4M_WIDTH, graphic_width);
@@ -1415,6 +1406,7 @@ static void ss5_class_init(ObjectClass *oc, void *data)
     mc->default_boot_order = "c";
     mc->default_cpu_type = SPARC_CPU_TYPE_NAME("Fujitsu-MB86904");
     mc->default_display = "tcx";
+    mc->default_ram_id = "sun4m.ram";
 }
 
 static const TypeInfo ss5_type = {
@@ -1434,6 +1426,7 @@ static void ss10_class_init(ObjectClass *oc, void *data)
     mc->default_boot_order = "c";
     mc->default_cpu_type = SPARC_CPU_TYPE_NAME("TI-SuperSparc-II");
     mc->default_display = "tcx";
+    mc->default_ram_id = "sun4m.ram";
 }
 
 static const TypeInfo ss10_type = {
@@ -1453,6 +1446,7 @@ static void ss600mp_class_init(ObjectClass *oc, void *data)
     mc->default_boot_order = "c";
     mc->default_cpu_type = SPARC_CPU_TYPE_NAME("TI-SuperSparc-II");
     mc->default_display = "tcx";
+    mc->default_ram_id = "sun4m.ram";
 }
 
 static const TypeInfo ss600mp_type = {
@@ -1472,6 +1466,7 @@ static void ss20_class_init(ObjectClass *oc, void *data)
     mc->default_boot_order = "c";
     mc->default_cpu_type = SPARC_CPU_TYPE_NAME("TI-SuperSparc-II");
     mc->default_display = "tcx";
+    mc->default_ram_id = "sun4m.ram";
 }
 
 static const TypeInfo ss20_type = {
@@ -1490,6 +1485,7 @@ static void voyager_class_init(ObjectClass *oc, void *data)
     mc->default_boot_order = "c";
     mc->default_cpu_type = SPARC_CPU_TYPE_NAME("Fujitsu-MB86904");
     mc->default_display = "tcx";
+    mc->default_ram_id = "sun4m.ram";
 }
 
 static const TypeInfo voyager_type = {
@@ -1508,6 +1504,7 @@ static void ss_lx_class_init(ObjectClass *oc, void *data)
     mc->default_boot_order = "c";
     mc->default_cpu_type = SPARC_CPU_TYPE_NAME("TI-MicroSparc-I");
     mc->default_display = "tcx";
+    mc->default_ram_id = "sun4m.ram";
 }
 
 static const TypeInfo ss_lx_type = {
@@ -1526,6 +1523,7 @@ static void ss4_class_init(ObjectClass *oc, void *data)
     mc->default_boot_order = "c";
     mc->default_cpu_type = SPARC_CPU_TYPE_NAME("Fujitsu-MB86904");
     mc->default_display = "tcx";
+    mc->default_ram_id = "sun4m.ram";
 }
 
 static const TypeInfo ss4_type = {
@@ -1544,6 +1542,7 @@ static void scls_class_init(ObjectClass *oc, void *data)
     mc->default_boot_order = "c";
     mc->default_cpu_type = SPARC_CPU_TYPE_NAME("TI-MicroSparc-I");
     mc->default_display = "tcx";
+    mc->default_ram_id = "sun4m.ram";
 }
 
 static const TypeInfo scls_type = {
@@ -1562,6 +1561,7 @@ static void sbook_class_init(ObjectClass *oc, void *data)
     mc->default_boot_order = "c";
     mc->default_cpu_type = SPARC_CPU_TYPE_NAME("TI-MicroSparc-I");
     mc->default_display = "tcx";
+    mc->default_ram_id = "sun4m.ram";
 }
 
 static const TypeInfo sbook_type = {
diff --git a/hw/sparc64/niagara.c b/hw/sparc64/niagara.c
index 5eb2d097b9..ab5ef8c5b3 100644
--- a/hw/sparc64/niagara.c
+++ b/hw/sparc64/niagara.c
@@ -40,7 +40,6 @@
 
 typedef struct NiagaraBoardState {
     MemoryRegion hv_ram;
-    MemoryRegion partition_ram;
     MemoryRegion nvram;
     MemoryRegion md_rom;
     MemoryRegion hv_rom;
@@ -111,11 +110,8 @@ static void niagara_init(MachineState *machine)
                            NIAGARA_HV_RAM_SIZE, &error_fatal);
     memory_region_add_subregion(sysmem, NIAGARA_HV_RAM_BASE, &s->hv_ram);
 
-    memory_region_allocate_system_memory(&s->partition_ram, NULL,
-                                         "sun4v-partition.ram",
-                                         machine->ram_size);
     memory_region_add_subregion(sysmem, NIAGARA_PARTITION_RAM_BASE,
-                                &s->partition_ram);
+                                machine->ram);
 
     memory_region_init_ram(&s->nvram, NULL, "sun4v.nvram", NIAGARA_NVRAM_SIZE,
                            &error_fatal);
@@ -173,6 +169,7 @@ static void niagara_class_init(ObjectClass *oc, void *data)
     mc->max_cpus = 1; /* XXX for now */
     mc->default_boot_order = "c";
     mc->default_cpu_type = SPARC_CPU_TYPE_NAME("Sun-UltraSparc-T1");
+    mc->default_ram_id = "sun4v-partition.ram";
 }
 
 static const TypeInfo niagara_type = {
diff --git a/include/hw/boards.h b/include/hw/boards.h
index fb1b43d5b9..142b86d0ae 100644
--- a/include/hw/boards.h
+++ b/include/hw/boards.h
@@ -4,6 +4,7 @@
 #define HW_BOARDS_H
 
 #include "exec/memory.h"
+#include "sysemu/hostmem.h"
 #include "sysemu/blockdev.h"
 #include "sysemu/accel.h"
 #include "qapi/qapi-types-machine.h"
@@ -11,38 +12,6 @@
 #include "qom/object.h"
 #include "hw/core/cpu.h"
 
-/**
- * memory_region_allocate_system_memory - Allocate a board's main memory
- * @mr: the #MemoryRegion to be initialized
- * @owner: the object that tracks the region's reference count
- * @name: name of the memory region
- * @ram_size: size of the region in bytes
- *
- * This function allocates the main memory for a board model, and
- * initializes @mr appropriately. It also arranges for the memory
- * to be migrated (by calling vmstate_register_ram_global()).
- *
- * Memory allocated via this function will be backed with the memory
- * backend the user provided using "-mem-path" or "-numa node,memdev=..."
- * if appropriate; this is typically used to cause host huge pages to be
- * used. This function should therefore be called by a board exactly once,
- * for the primary or largest RAM area it implements.
- *
- * For boards where the major RAM is split into two parts in the memory
- * map, you can deal with this by calling memory_region_allocate_system_memory()
- * once to get a MemoryRegion with enough RAM for both parts, and then
- * creating alias MemoryRegions via memory_region_init_alias() which
- * alias into different parts of the RAM MemoryRegion and can be mapped
- * into the memory map in the appropriate places.
- *
- * Smaller pieces of memory (display RAM, static RAMs, etc) don't need
- * to be backed via the -mem-path memory backend and can simply
- * be created via memory_region_init_ram().
- */
-void memory_region_allocate_system_memory(MemoryRegion *mr, Object *owner,
-                                          const char *name,
-                                          uint64_t ram_size);
-
 #define TYPE_MACHINE_SUFFIX "-machine"
 
 /* Machine class name that needs to be used for class-name-based machine
@@ -72,7 +41,12 @@ void machine_set_cpu_numa_node(MachineState *machine,
                                Error **errp);
 
 void machine_class_allow_dynamic_sysbus_dev(MachineClass *mc, const char *type);
-
+/*
+ * Checks that backend isn't used, preps it for exclusive usage and
+ * returns migratable MemoryRegion provided by backend.
+ */
+MemoryRegion *machine_consume_memdev(MachineState *machine,
+                                     HostMemoryBackend *backend);
 
 /**
  * CPUArchId:
@@ -169,6 +143,13 @@ typedef struct {
  *    false is returned, an error must be set to show the reason of
  *    the rejection.  If the hook is not provided, all hotplug will be
  *    allowed.
+ * @default_ram_id:
+ *    Specifies inital RAM MemoryRegion name to be used for default backend
+ *    creation if user explicitly hasn't specified backend with "memory-backend"
+ *    property.
+ *    It also will be used as a way to optin into "-m" option support.
+ *    If it's not set by board, '-m' will be ignored and generic code will
+ *    not create default RAM MemoryRegion.
  */
 struct MachineClass {
     /*< private >*/
@@ -225,6 +206,7 @@ struct MachineClass {
     bool nvdimm_supported;
     bool numa_mem_supported;
     bool auto_enable_numa;
+    const char *default_ram_id;
 
     HotplugHandler *(*get_hotplug_handler)(MachineState *machine,
                                            DeviceState *dev);
@@ -285,6 +267,12 @@ struct MachineState {
     bool enforce_config_section;
     bool enable_graphics;
     char *memory_encryption;
+    char *ram_memdev_id;
+    /*
+     * convenience alias to ram_memdev_id backend memory region
+     * or to numa container memory region
+     */
+    MemoryRegion *ram;
     DeviceMemoryState *device_memory;
 
     ram_addr_t ram_size;
diff --git a/include/hw/misc/aspeed_sdmc.h b/include/hw/misc/aspeed_sdmc.h
index 5dbde59fe7..cea1e67fe3 100644
--- a/include/hw/misc/aspeed_sdmc.h
+++ b/include/hw/misc/aspeed_sdmc.h
@@ -40,6 +40,7 @@ typedef struct AspeedSDMCClass {
     SysBusDeviceClass parent_class;
 
     uint64_t max_ram_size;
+    const uint64_t *valid_ram_sizes;
     uint32_t (*compute_conf)(AspeedSDMCState *s, uint32_t data);
     void (*write)(AspeedSDMCState *s, uint32_t reg, uint32_t data);
 } AspeedSDMCClass;
diff --git a/include/hw/ppc/ppc4xx.h b/include/hw/ppc/ppc4xx.h
index 7d82259051..cc19c8da5b 100644
--- a/include/hw/ppc/ppc4xx.h
+++ b/include/hw/ppc/ppc4xx.h
@@ -42,11 +42,10 @@ enum {
 qemu_irq *ppcuic_init (CPUPPCState *env, qemu_irq *irqs,
                        uint32_t dcr_base, int has_ssr, int has_vr);
 
-ram_addr_t ppc4xx_sdram_adjust(ram_addr_t ram_size, int nr_banks,
-                               MemoryRegion ram_memories[],
-                               hwaddr ram_bases[],
-                               hwaddr ram_sizes[],
-                               const ram_addr_t sdram_bank_sizes[]);
+void ppc4xx_sdram_banks(MemoryRegion *ram, int nr_banks,
+                        MemoryRegion ram_memories[],
+                        hwaddr ram_bases[], hwaddr ram_sizes[],
+                        const ram_addr_t sdram_bank_sizes[]);
 
 void ppc4xx_sdram_init (CPUPPCState *env, qemu_irq irq, int nbanks,
                         MemoryRegion ram_memories[],
diff --git a/include/sysemu/hostmem.h b/include/sysemu/hostmem.h
index 4dbdadd39e..8276e53683 100644
--- a/include/sysemu/hostmem.h
+++ b/include/sysemu/hostmem.h
@@ -27,6 +27,22 @@
 #define MEMORY_BACKEND_CLASS(klass) \
     OBJECT_CLASS_CHECK(HostMemoryBackendClass, (klass), TYPE_MEMORY_BACKEND)
 
+/* hostmem-ram.c */
+/**
+ * @TYPE_MEMORY_BACKEND_RAM:
+ * name of backend that uses mmap on the anonymous RAM
+ */
+
+#define TYPE_MEMORY_BACKEND_RAM "memory-backend-ram"
+
+/* hostmem-file.c */
+/**
+ * @TYPE_MEMORY_BACKEND_FILE:
+ * name of backend that uses mmap on a file descriptor
+ */
+#define TYPE_MEMORY_BACKEND_FILE "memory-backend-file"
+
+typedef struct HostMemoryBackend HostMemoryBackend;
 typedef struct HostMemoryBackendClass HostMemoryBackendClass;
 
 /**
@@ -45,6 +61,7 @@ struct HostMemoryBackendClass {
  * @parent: opaque parent object container
  * @size: amount of memory backend provides
  * @mr: MemoryRegion representing host memory belonging to backend
+ * @prealloc_threads: number of threads to be used for preallocatining RAM
  */
 struct HostMemoryBackend {
     /* private */
@@ -53,7 +70,8 @@ struct HostMemoryBackend {
     /* protected */
     uint64_t size;
     bool merge, dump, use_canonical_path;
-    bool prealloc, force_prealloc, is_mapped, share;
+    bool prealloc, is_mapped, share;
+    uint32_t prealloc_threads;
     DECLARE_BITMAP(host_nodes, MAX_NODES + 1);
     HostMemPolicy policy;
 
diff --git a/include/sysemu/numa.h b/include/sysemu/numa.h
index ba693cc80b..ad58ee88f7 100644
--- a/include/sysemu/numa.h
+++ b/include/sysemu/numa.h
@@ -112,5 +112,6 @@ void numa_default_auto_assign_ram(MachineClass *mc, NodeInfo *nodes,
                                   int nb_nodes, ram_addr_t size);
 void numa_cpu_pre_plug(const struct CPUArchId *slot, DeviceState *dev,
                        Error **errp);
+bool numa_uses_legacy_mem(void);
 
 #endif
diff --git a/include/sysemu/sysemu.h b/include/sysemu/sysemu.h
index dec64fcc17..479d90bcea 100644
--- a/include/sysemu/sysemu.h
+++ b/include/sysemu/sysemu.h
@@ -50,8 +50,6 @@ extern uint8_t *boot_splash_filedata;
 extern bool enable_mlock;
 extern bool enable_cpu_pm;
 extern QEMUClockType rtc_clock;
-extern const char *mem_path;
-extern int mem_prealloc;
 
 #define MAX_OPTION_ROMS 16
 typedef struct QEMUOptionRom {
diff --git a/qemu-deprecated.texi b/qemu-deprecated.texi
index 0671c26c80..66eca3a1de 100644
--- a/qemu-deprecated.texi
+++ b/qemu-deprecated.texi
@@ -113,15 +113,6 @@ QEMU using implicit generic or board specific splitting rule.
 Use @option{memdev} with @var{memory-backend-ram} backend or @option{mem} (if
 it's supported by used machine type) to define mapping explictly instead.
 
-@subsection -mem-path fallback to RAM (since 4.1)
-Currently if guest RAM allocation from file pointed by @option{mem-path}
-fails, QEMU falls back to allocating from RAM, which might result
-in unpredictable behavior since the backing file specified by the user
-is ignored. In the future, users will be responsible for making sure
-the backing storage specified with @option{-mem-path} can actually provide
-the guest RAM configured with @option{-m} and QEMU will fail to start up if
-RAM allocation is unsuccessful.
-
 @subsection RISC-V -bios (since 4.1)
 
 QEMU 4.1 introduced support for the -bios option in QEMU for RISC-V for the
diff --git a/softmmu/vl.c b/softmmu/vl.c
index 92c7b3a6e9..a9cce78f45 100644
--- a/softmmu/vl.c
+++ b/softmmu/vl.c
@@ -56,6 +56,7 @@
 #include "ui/input.h"
 #include "sysemu/sysemu.h"
 #include "sysemu/numa.h"
+#include "sysemu/hostmem.h"
 #include "exec/gdbstub.h"
 #include "qemu/timer.h"
 #include "chardev/char.h"
@@ -120,8 +121,6 @@ enum vga_retrace_method vga_retrace_method = VGA_RETRACE_DUMB;
 int display_opengl;
 const char* keyboard_layout = NULL;
 ram_addr_t ram_size;
-const char *mem_path = NULL;
-int mem_prealloc = 0; /* force preallocation of physical target memory */
 bool enable_mlock = false;
 bool enable_cpu_pm = false;
 int nb_nics;
@@ -2635,6 +2634,29 @@ static void set_memory_options(uint64_t *ram_slots, ram_addr_t *maxram_size,
         exit(EXIT_FAILURE);
     }
 
+    if (current_machine->ram_memdev_id) {
+        Object *backend;
+        ram_addr_t backend_size;
+
+        backend = object_resolve_path_type(current_machine->ram_memdev_id,
+                                           TYPE_MEMORY_BACKEND, NULL);
+        backend_size = object_property_get_uint(backend, "size",  &error_abort);
+        if (mem_str && backend_size != ram_size) {
+                error_report("Size specified by -m option must match size of "
+                             "explicitly specified 'memory-backend' property");
+                exit(EXIT_FAILURE);
+        }
+        ram_size = backend_size;
+    }
+
+    if (!xen_enabled()) {
+        /* On 32-bit hosts, QEMU is limited by virtual address space */
+        if (ram_size > (2047 << 20) && HOST_LONG_BITS == 32) {
+            error_report("at most 2047 MB RAM can be simulated");
+            exit(1);
+        }
+    }
+
     loc_pop(&loc);
 }
 
@@ -2786,6 +2808,24 @@ static void configure_accelerators(const char *progname)
     }
 }
 
+static void create_default_memdev(MachineState *ms, const char *path)
+{
+    Object *obj;
+    MachineClass *mc = MACHINE_GET_CLASS(ms);
+
+    obj = object_new(path ? TYPE_MEMORY_BACKEND_FILE : TYPE_MEMORY_BACKEND_RAM);
+    if (path) {
+        object_property_set_str(obj, path, "mem-path", &error_fatal);
+    }
+    object_property_set_int(obj, ms->ram_size, "size", &error_fatal);
+    object_property_add_child(object_get_objects_root(), mc->default_ram_id,
+                              obj, &error_fatal);
+    user_creatable_complete(USER_CREATABLE(obj), &error_fatal);
+    object_unref(obj);
+    object_property_set_str(OBJECT(ms), mc->default_ram_id, "memory-backend",
+                            &error_fatal);
+}
+
 void qemu_init(int argc, char **argv, char **envp)
 {
     int i;
@@ -2820,8 +2860,10 @@ void qemu_init(int argc, char **argv, char **envp)
     Error *err = NULL;
     bool list_data_dirs = false;
     char *dir, **dirs;
+    const char *mem_path = NULL;
     BlockdevOptionsQueue bdo_queue = QSIMPLEQ_HEAD_INITIALIZER(bdo_queue);
     QemuPluginList plugin_list = QTAILQ_HEAD_INITIALIZER(plugin_list);
+    int mem_prealloc = 0; /* force preallocation of physical target memory */
 
     os_set_line_buffering();
 
@@ -3779,8 +3821,6 @@ void qemu_init(int argc, char **argv, char **envp)
     machine_class = select_machine();
     object_set_machine_compat_props(machine_class->compat_props);
 
-    set_memory_options(&ram_slots, &maxram_size, machine_class);
-
     os_daemonize();
 
     /*
@@ -3929,6 +3969,15 @@ void qemu_init(int argc, char **argv, char **envp)
         exit(1);
     }
 
+    if (mem_prealloc) {
+        char *val;
+
+        val = g_strdup_printf("%d", current_machine->smp.cpus);
+        object_register_sugar_prop("memory-backend", "prealloc-threads", val);
+        g_free(val);
+        object_register_sugar_prop("memory-backend", "prealloc", "on");
+    }
+
     /*
      * Get the default machine options from the machine if it is not already
      * specified either by the configuration file or by the command line.
@@ -4092,9 +4141,6 @@ void qemu_init(int argc, char **argv, char **envp)
     machine_opts = qemu_get_machine_opts();
     qemu_opt_foreach(machine_opts, machine_set_property, current_machine,
                      &error_fatal);
-    current_machine->ram_size = ram_size;
-    current_machine->maxram_size = maxram_size;
-    current_machine->ram_slots = ram_slots;
 
     /*
      * Note: uses machine properties such as kernel-irqchip, must run
@@ -4205,14 +4251,6 @@ void qemu_init(int argc, char **argv, char **envp)
 
     tpm_init();
 
-    if (!xen_enabled()) {
-        /* On 32-bit hosts, QEMU is limited by virtual address space */
-        if (ram_size > (2047 << 20) && HOST_LONG_BITS == 32) {
-            error_report("at most 2047 MB RAM can be simulated");
-            exit(1);
-        }
-    }
-
     blk_mig_init();
     ram_mig_init();
     dirty_bitmap_mig_init();
@@ -4257,8 +4295,18 @@ void qemu_init(int argc, char **argv, char **envp)
     if (cpu_option) {
         current_machine->cpu_type = parse_cpu_option(cpu_option);
     }
+
+    set_memory_options(&ram_slots, &maxram_size, machine_class);
+    current_machine->ram_size = ram_size;
+    current_machine->maxram_size = maxram_size;
+    current_machine->ram_slots = ram_slots;
+
     parse_numa_opts(current_machine);
 
+    if (machine_class->default_ram_id && current_machine->ram_size &&
+        numa_uses_legacy_mem() && !current_machine->ram_memdev_id) {
+        create_default_memdev(current_machine, mem_path);
+    }
     /* do monitor/qmp handling at preconfig state if requested */
     qemu_main_loop();
 
diff --git a/tests/qtest/numa-test.c b/tests/qtest/numa-test.c
index 17dd807d2a..2f9b7f663a 100644
--- a/tests/qtest/numa-test.c
+++ b/tests/qtest/numa-test.c
@@ -14,67 +14,60 @@
 #include "qapi/qmp/qdict.h"
 #include "qapi/qmp/qlist.h"
 
-static char *make_cli(const char *generic_cli, const char *test_cli)
+static char *make_cli(const GString *generic_cli, const char *test_cli)
 {
-    return g_strdup_printf("%s %s", generic_cli ? generic_cli : "", test_cli);
+    return g_strdup_printf("%s %s", generic_cli->str, test_cli);
 }
 
 static void test_mon_explicit(const void *data)
 {
-    char *s;
-    char *cli;
     QTestState *qts;
+    g_autofree char *s = NULL;
+    g_autofree char *cli = NULL;
 
-    cli = make_cli(data, "-smp 8 "
-                   "-numa node,nodeid=0,cpus=0-3 "
-                   "-numa node,nodeid=1,cpus=4-7 ");
+    cli = make_cli(data, "-smp 8 -numa node,nodeid=0,memdev=ram,cpus=0-3 "
+                         "-numa node,nodeid=1,cpus=4-7");
     qts = qtest_init(cli);
 
     s = qtest_hmp(qts, "info numa");
     g_assert(strstr(s, "node 0 cpus: 0 1 2 3"));
     g_assert(strstr(s, "node 1 cpus: 4 5 6 7"));
-    g_free(s);
 
     qtest_quit(qts);
-    g_free(cli);
 }
 
-static void test_mon_default(const void *data)
+static void test_def_cpu_split(const void *data)
 {
-    char *s;
-    char *cli;
     QTestState *qts;
+    g_autofree char *s = NULL;
+    g_autofree char *cli = NULL;
 
-    cli = make_cli(data, "-smp 8 -numa node -numa node");
+    cli = make_cli(data, "-smp 8 -numa node,memdev=ram -numa node");
     qts = qtest_init(cli);
 
     s = qtest_hmp(qts, "info numa");
     g_assert(strstr(s, "node 0 cpus: 0 2 4 6"));
     g_assert(strstr(s, "node 1 cpus: 1 3 5 7"));
-    g_free(s);
 
     qtest_quit(qts);
-    g_free(cli);
 }
 
 static void test_mon_partial(const void *data)
 {
-    char *s;
-    char *cli;
     QTestState *qts;
+    g_autofree char *s = NULL;
+    g_autofree char *cli = NULL;
 
     cli = make_cli(data, "-smp 8 "
-                   "-numa node,nodeid=0,cpus=0-1 "
+                   "-numa node,nodeid=0,memdev=ram,cpus=0-1 "
                    "-numa node,nodeid=1,cpus=4-5 ");
     qts = qtest_init(cli);
 
     s = qtest_hmp(qts, "info numa");
     g_assert(strstr(s, "node 0 cpus: 0 1 2 3 6 7"));
     g_assert(strstr(s, "node 1 cpus: 4 5"));
-    g_free(s);
 
     qtest_quit(qts);
-    g_free(cli);
 }
 
 static QList *get_cpus(QTestState *qts, QDict **resp)
@@ -87,13 +80,14 @@ static QList *get_cpus(QTestState *qts, QDict **resp)
 
 static void test_query_cpus(const void *data)
 {
-    char *cli;
     QDict *resp;
     QList *cpus;
     QObject *e;
     QTestState *qts;
+    g_autofree char *cli = NULL;
 
-    cli = make_cli(data, "-smp 8 -numa node,cpus=0-3 -numa node,cpus=4-7");
+    cli = make_cli(data, "-smp 8 -numa node,memdev=ram,cpus=0-3 "
+                         "-numa node,cpus=4-7");
     qts = qtest_init(cli);
     cpus = get_cpus(qts, &resp);
     g_assert(cpus);
@@ -120,19 +114,18 @@ static void test_query_cpus(const void *data)
 
     qobject_unref(resp);
     qtest_quit(qts);
-    g_free(cli);
 }
 
 static void pc_numa_cpu(const void *data)
 {
-    char *cli;
     QDict *resp;
     QList *cpus;
     QObject *e;
     QTestState *qts;
+    g_autofree char *cli = NULL;
 
     cli = make_cli(data, "-cpu pentium -smp 8,sockets=2,cores=2,threads=2 "
-        "-numa node,nodeid=0 -numa node,nodeid=1 "
+        "-numa node,nodeid=0,memdev=ram -numa node,nodeid=1 "
         "-numa cpu,node-id=1,socket-id=0 "
         "-numa cpu,node-id=0,socket-id=1,core-id=0 "
         "-numa cpu,node-id=0,socket-id=1,core-id=1,thread-id=0 "
@@ -174,19 +167,18 @@ static void pc_numa_cpu(const void *data)
 
     qobject_unref(resp);
     qtest_quit(qts);
-    g_free(cli);
 }
 
 static void spapr_numa_cpu(const void *data)
 {
-    char *cli;
     QDict *resp;
     QList *cpus;
     QObject *e;
     QTestState *qts;
+    g_autofree char *cli = NULL;
 
     cli = make_cli(data, "-smp 4,cores=4 "
-        "-numa node,nodeid=0 -numa node,nodeid=1 "
+        "-numa node,nodeid=0,memdev=ram -numa node,nodeid=1 "
         "-numa cpu,node-id=0,core-id=0 "
         "-numa cpu,node-id=0,core-id=1 "
         "-numa cpu,node-id=0,core-id=2 "
@@ -220,19 +212,18 @@ static void spapr_numa_cpu(const void *data)
 
     qobject_unref(resp);
     qtest_quit(qts);
-    g_free(cli);
 }
 
 static void aarch64_numa_cpu(const void *data)
 {
-    char *cli;
     QDict *resp;
     QList *cpus;
     QObject *e;
     QTestState *qts;
+    g_autofree char *cli = NULL;
 
     cli = make_cli(data, "-smp 2 "
-        "-numa node,nodeid=0 -numa node,nodeid=1 "
+        "-numa node,nodeid=0,memdev=ram -numa node,nodeid=1 "
         "-numa cpu,node-id=1,thread-id=0 "
         "-numa cpu,node-id=0,thread-id=1");
     qts = qtest_init(cli);
@@ -264,7 +255,6 @@ static void aarch64_numa_cpu(const void *data)
 
     qobject_unref(resp);
     qtest_quit(qts);
-    g_free(cli);
 }
 
 static void pc_dynamic_cpu_cfg(const void *data)
@@ -273,13 +263,14 @@ static void pc_dynamic_cpu_cfg(const void *data)
     QDict *resp;
     QList *cpus;
     QTestState *qs;
+    g_autofree char *cli = NULL;
 
-    qs = qtest_initf("%s -nodefaults --preconfig -smp 2",
-                     data ? (char *)data : "");
+    cli = make_cli(data, "-nodefaults --preconfig -smp 2");
+    qs = qtest_init(cli);
 
     /* create 2 numa nodes */
     g_assert(!qmp_rsp_is_err(qtest_qmp(qs, "{ 'execute': 'set-numa-node',"
-        " 'arguments': { 'type': 'node', 'nodeid': 0 } }")));
+        " 'arguments': { 'type': 'node', 'nodeid': 0, 'memdev': 'ram' } }")));
     g_assert(!qmp_rsp_is_err(qtest_qmp(qs, "{ 'execute': 'set-numa-node',"
         " 'arguments': { 'type': 'node', 'nodeid': 1 } }")));
 
@@ -329,16 +320,19 @@ static void pc_dynamic_cpu_cfg(const void *data)
 
 static void pc_hmat_build_cfg(const void *data)
 {
-    QTestState *qs = qtest_initf("%s -nodefaults --preconfig -machine hmat=on "
-                     "-smp 2,sockets=2 "
-                     "-m 128M,slots=2,maxmem=1G "
-                     "-object memory-backend-ram,size=64M,id=m0 "
-                     "-object memory-backend-ram,size=64M,id=m1 "
-                     "-numa node,nodeid=0,memdev=m0 "
-                     "-numa node,nodeid=1,memdev=m1,initiator=0 "
-                     "-numa cpu,node-id=0,socket-id=0 "
-                     "-numa cpu,node-id=0,socket-id=1",
-                     data ? (char *)data : "");
+    QTestState *qs;
+    g_autofree char *cli = NULL;
+
+    cli = make_cli(data, "-nodefaults --preconfig -machine hmat=on "
+                         "-smp 2,sockets=2 "
+                         "-m 128M,slots=2,maxmem=1G "
+                         "-object memory-backend-ram,size=64M,id=m0 "
+                         "-object memory-backend-ram,size=64M,id=m1 "
+                         "-numa node,nodeid=0,memdev=m0 "
+                         "-numa node,nodeid=1,memdev=m1,initiator=0 "
+                         "-numa cpu,node-id=0,socket-id=0 "
+                         "-numa cpu,node-id=0,socket-id=1");
+    qs = qtest_init(cli);
 
     /* Fail: Initiator should be less than the number of nodes */
     g_assert_true(qmp_rsp_is_err(qtest_qmp(qs, "{ 'execute': 'set-numa-node',"
@@ -455,13 +449,16 @@ static void pc_hmat_build_cfg(const void *data)
 
 static void pc_hmat_off_cfg(const void *data)
 {
-    QTestState *qs = qtest_initf("%s -nodefaults --preconfig "
-                     "-smp 2,sockets=2 "
-                     "-m 128M,slots=2,maxmem=1G "
-                     "-object memory-backend-ram,size=64M,id=m0 "
-                     "-object memory-backend-ram,size=64M,id=m1 "
-                     "-numa node,nodeid=0,memdev=m0",
-                     data ? (char *)data : "");
+    QTestState *qs;
+    g_autofree char *cli = NULL;
+
+    cli = make_cli(data, "-nodefaults --preconfig "
+                         "-smp 2,sockets=2 "
+                         "-m 128M,slots=2,maxmem=1G "
+                         "-object memory-backend-ram,size=64M,id=m0 "
+                         "-object memory-backend-ram,size=64M,id=m1 "
+                         "-numa node,nodeid=0,memdev=m0");
+    qs = qtest_init(cli);
 
     /*
      * Fail: Enable HMAT with -machine hmat=on
@@ -491,16 +488,19 @@ static void pc_hmat_off_cfg(const void *data)
 
 static void pc_hmat_erange_cfg(const void *data)
 {
-    QTestState *qs = qtest_initf("%s -nodefaults --preconfig -machine hmat=on "
-                     "-smp 2,sockets=2 "
-                     "-m 128M,slots=2,maxmem=1G "
-                     "-object memory-backend-ram,size=64M,id=m0 "
-                     "-object memory-backend-ram,size=64M,id=m1 "
-                     "-numa node,nodeid=0,memdev=m0 "
-                     "-numa node,nodeid=1,memdev=m1,initiator=0 "
-                     "-numa cpu,node-id=0,socket-id=0 "
-                     "-numa cpu,node-id=0,socket-id=1",
-                     data ? (char *)data : "");
+    QTestState *qs;
+    g_autofree char *cli = NULL;
+
+    cli = make_cli(data, "-nodefaults --preconfig -machine hmat=on "
+                         "-smp 2,sockets=2 "
+                         "-m 128M,slots=2,maxmem=1G "
+                         "-object memory-backend-ram,size=64M,id=m0 "
+                         "-object memory-backend-ram,size=64M,id=m1 "
+                         "-numa node,nodeid=0,memdev=m0 "
+                         "-numa node,nodeid=1,memdev=m1,initiator=0 "
+                         "-numa cpu,node-id=0,socket-id=0 "
+                         "-numa cpu,node-id=0,socket-id=1");
+    qs = qtest_init(cli);
 
     /* Can't store the compressed latency */
     g_assert_false(qmp_rsp_is_err(qtest_qmp(qs, "{ 'execute': 'set-numa-node',"
@@ -539,16 +539,22 @@ static void pc_hmat_erange_cfg(const void *data)
 
 int main(int argc, char **argv)
 {
-    const char *args = NULL;
+    g_autoptr(GString) args = g_string_new(NULL);
     const char *arch = qtest_get_arch();
 
-    if (strcmp(arch, "aarch64") == 0) {
-        args = "-machine virt";
+    if (g_str_equal(arch, "ppc64")) {
+        g_string_append(args, " -object memory-backend-ram,id=ram,size=512M");
+    } else {
+        g_string_append(args, " -object memory-backend-ram,id=ram,size=128M");
+    }
+
+    if (g_str_equal(arch, "aarch64")) {
+        g_string_append(args, " -machine virt");
     }
 
     g_test_init(&argc, &argv, NULL);
 
-    qtest_add_data_func("/numa/mon/default", args, test_mon_default);
+    qtest_add_data_func("/numa/mon/cpus/default", args, test_def_cpu_split);
     qtest_add_data_func("/numa/mon/cpus/explicit", args, test_mon_explicit);
     qtest_add_data_func("/numa/mon/cpus/partial", args, test_mon_partial);
     qtest_add_data_func("/numa/qmp/cpus/query-cpus", args, test_query_cpus);