diff --git a/hw/qdev-addr.c b/hw/qdev-addr.c
index b711b6b..a3796bd 100644
--- a/hw/qdev-addr.c
+++ b/hw/qdev-addr.c
@@ -1,3 +1,4 @@
+#include "qemu/object.h"
 #include "qdev.h"
 #include "qdev-addr.h"
 #include "targphys.h"
@@ -39,7 +40,7 @@ static void set_taddr(Object *obj, Visitor *v, void *opaque,
     Error *local_err = NULL;
     int64_t value;
 
-    if (dev->state != DEV_STATE_CREATED) {
+    if (object_is_realized(obj)) {
         error_set(errp, QERR_PERMISSION_DENIED);
         return;
     }
diff --git a/hw/qdev-properties.c b/hw/qdev-properties.c
index ffd601a..282cf68 100644
--- a/hw/qdev-properties.c
+++ b/hw/qdev-properties.c
@@ -53,7 +53,7 @@ static void set_bit(Object *obj, Visitor *v, void *opaque,
     Error *local_err = NULL;
     bool value;
 
-    if (dev->state != DEV_STATE_CREATED) {
+    if (object_is_realized(obj)) {
         error_set(errp, QERR_PERMISSION_DENIED);
         return;
     }
@@ -93,7 +93,7 @@ static void set_uint8(Object *obj, Visitor *v, void *opaque,
     Property *prop = opaque;
     uint8_t *ptr = qdev_get_prop_ptr(dev, prop);
 
-    if (dev->state != DEV_STATE_CREATED) {
+    if (object_is_realized(obj)) {
         error_set(errp, QERR_PERMISSION_DENIED);
         return;
     }
@@ -160,7 +160,7 @@ static void set_uint16(Object *obj, Visitor *v, void *opaque,
     Property *prop = opaque;
     uint16_t *ptr = qdev_get_prop_ptr(dev, prop);
 
-    if (dev->state != DEV_STATE_CREATED) {
+    if (object_is_realized(obj)) {
         error_set(errp, QERR_PERMISSION_DENIED);
         return;
     }
@@ -193,7 +193,7 @@ static void set_uint32(Object *obj, Visitor *v, void *opaque,
     Property *prop = opaque;
     uint32_t *ptr = qdev_get_prop_ptr(dev, prop);
 
-    if (dev->state != DEV_STATE_CREATED) {
+    if (object_is_realized(obj)) {
         error_set(errp, QERR_PERMISSION_DENIED);
         return;
     }
@@ -218,7 +218,7 @@ static void set_int32(Object *obj, Visitor *v, void *opaque,
     Property *prop = opaque;
     int32_t *ptr = qdev_get_prop_ptr(dev, prop);
 
-    if (dev->state != DEV_STATE_CREATED) {
+    if (object_is_realized(obj)) {
         error_set(errp, QERR_PERMISSION_DENIED);
         return;
     }
@@ -291,7 +291,7 @@ static void set_uint64(Object *obj, Visitor *v, void *opaque,
     Property *prop = opaque;
     uint64_t *ptr = qdev_get_prop_ptr(dev, prop);
 
-    if (dev->state != DEV_STATE_CREATED) {
+    if (object_is_realized(obj)) {
         error_set(errp, QERR_PERMISSION_DENIED);
         return;
     }
@@ -379,7 +379,7 @@ static void set_string(Object *obj, Visitor *v, void *opaque,
     Error *local_err = NULL;
     char *str;
 
-    if (dev->state != DEV_STATE_CREATED) {
+    if (object_is_realized(obj)) {
         error_set(errp, QERR_PERMISSION_DENIED);
         return;
     }
@@ -457,7 +457,7 @@ static void set_pointer(Object *obj, Visitor *v, Property *prop,
     char *str;
     int ret;
 
-    if (dev->state != DEV_STATE_CREATED) {
+    if (object_is_realized(obj)) {
         error_set(errp, QERR_PERMISSION_DENIED);
         return;
     }
@@ -626,7 +626,7 @@ static void set_vlan(Object *obj, Visitor *v, void *opaque,
     int64_t id;
     VLANState *vlan;
 
-    if (dev->state != DEV_STATE_CREATED) {
+    if (object_is_realized(obj)) {
         error_set(errp, QERR_PERMISSION_DENIED);
         return;
     }
@@ -696,7 +696,7 @@ static void set_mac(Object *obj, Visitor *v, void *opaque,
     int i, pos;
     char *str, *p;
 
-    if (dev->state != DEV_STATE_CREATED) {
+    if (object_is_realized(obj)) {
         error_set(errp, QERR_PERMISSION_DENIED);
         return;
     }
@@ -764,7 +764,7 @@ static void set_enum(Object *obj, Visitor *v, void *opaque,
     Property *prop = opaque;
     int *ptr = qdev_get_prop_ptr(dev, prop);
 
-    if (dev->state != DEV_STATE_CREATED) {
+    if (object_is_realized(obj)) {
         error_set(errp, QERR_PERMISSION_DENIED);
         return;
     }
@@ -795,7 +795,7 @@ static void set_pci_devfn(Object *obj, Visitor *v, void *opaque,
     Error *local_err = NULL;
     char *str = (char *)"";
 
-    if (dev->state != DEV_STATE_CREATED) {
+    if (object_is_realized(obj)) {
         error_set(errp, QERR_PERMISSION_DENIED);
         return;
     }
diff --git a/hw/qdev.c b/hw/qdev.c
index 819bff0..f82574a 100644
--- a/hw/qdev.c
+++ b/hw/qdev.c
@@ -124,7 +124,7 @@ int qdev_init(DeviceState *dev)
     DeviceClass *dc = DEVICE_GET_CLASS(dev);
     int rc;
 
-    assert(dev->state == DEV_STATE_CREATED);
+    assert(!object_is_realized(OBJECT(dev)));
 
     rc = dc->init(dev);
     if (rc < 0) {
@@ -146,7 +146,7 @@ int qdev_init(DeviceState *dev)
                                        dev->instance_id_alias,
                                        dev->alias_required_for_version);
     }
-    dev->state = DEV_STATE_INITIALIZED;
+    OBJECT(dev)->state = OBJECT_STATE_REALIZED;
     if (dev->hotplugged) {
         device_reset(dev);
     }
@@ -156,7 +156,7 @@ int qdev_init(DeviceState *dev)
 void qdev_set_legacy_instance_id(DeviceState *dev, int alias_id,
                                  int required_for_version)
 {
-    assert(dev->state == DEV_STATE_CREATED);
+    assert(!object_is_realized(OBJECT(dev)));
     dev->instance_id_alias = alias_id;
     dev->alias_required_for_version = required_for_version;
 }
@@ -515,7 +515,7 @@ static void qdev_set_legacy_property(Object *obj, Visitor *v, void *opaque,
     char *ptr = NULL;
     int ret;
 
-    if (dev->state != DEV_STATE_CREATED) {
+    if (object_is_realized(obj)) {
         error_set(errp, QERR_PERMISSION_DENIED);
         return;
     }
@@ -619,7 +619,6 @@ static void device_initfn(Object *obj)
     }
 
     dev->instance_id_alias = -1;
-    dev->state = DEV_STATE_CREATED;
 
     class = object_get_class(OBJECT(dev));
     do {
@@ -639,7 +638,7 @@ static void device_finalize(Object *obj)
     BusState *bus;
     DeviceClass *dc = DEVICE_GET_CLASS(dev);
 
-    if (dev->state == DEV_STATE_INITIALIZED) {
+    if (object_is_realized(obj)) {
         while (dev->num_child_bus) {
             bus = QLIST_FIRST(&dev->child_bus);
             qbus_free(bus);
diff --git a/hw/qdev.h b/hw/qdev.h
index a159b94..a21633b 100644
--- a/hw/qdev.h
+++ b/hw/qdev.h
@@ -18,11 +18,6 @@ typedef struct BusState BusState;
 
 typedef struct BusInfo BusInfo;
 
-enum DevState {
-    DEV_STATE_CREATED = 1,
-    DEV_STATE_INITIALIZED,
-};
-
 enum {
     DEV_NVECTORS_UNSPECIFIED = -1,
 };
@@ -63,7 +58,6 @@ struct DeviceState {
     Object parent_obj;
 
     const char *id;
-    enum DevState state;
     QemuOpts *opts;
     int hotplugged;
     BusState *parent_bus;
diff --git a/include/qemu/object.h b/include/qemu/object.h
index 80f2bf3..a7e5fc2 100644
--- a/include/qemu/object.h
+++ b/include/qemu/object.h
@@ -241,6 +241,11 @@ struct ObjectClass
     Type type;
 };
 
+typedef enum ObjectState {
+    OBJECT_STATE_CREATED = 1,
+    OBJECT_STATE_REALIZED,
+} ObjectState;
+
 /**
  * Object:
  *
@@ -264,6 +269,7 @@ struct Object
     QTAILQ_HEAD(, ObjectProperty) properties;
     uint32_t ref;
     Object *parent;
+    ObjectState state;
 };
 
 /**
@@ -812,6 +818,14 @@ const char *object_property_get_type(Object *obj, const char *name,
 Object *object_get_root(void);
 
 /**
+ * object_is_realized:
+ * @obj: the object
+ *
+ * Returns whether @obj has been realized (i.e. completely constructed).
+ */
+bool object_is_realized(Object *obj);
+
+/**
  * object_get_canonical_path:
  *
  * Returns: The canonical path for a object.  This is the path within the
diff --git a/qom/object.c b/qom/object.c
index 488047c..65eaa84 100644
--- a/qom/object.c
+++ b/qom/object.c
@@ -1220,9 +1220,15 @@ static char *qdev_get_type(Object *obj, Error **errp)
     return g_strdup(object_get_typename(obj));
 }
 
+bool object_is_realized(Object *obj)
+{
+    return obj->state == OBJECT_STATE_REALIZED;
+}
+
 static void object_instance_init(Object *obj)
 {
     object_property_add_str(obj, "type", qdev_get_type, NULL, NULL);
+    obj->state = OBJECT_STATE_CREATED;
 }
 
 static void register_types(void)
