diff --git a/target-i386/cpu.c b/target-i386/cpu.c
index 935bc42..4c483a7 100644
--- a/target-i386/cpu.c
+++ b/target-i386/cpu.c
@@ -275,7 +275,7 @@ typedef struct x86_def_t {
     struct x86_def_t *next;
     const char *name;
     uint32_t level;
-    uint32_t vendor1, vendor2, vendor3;
+    char vendor[CPUID_VENDOR_SZ + 1];
     int family;
     int model;
     int stepping;
@@ -340,9 +340,7 @@ static x86_def_t builtin_x86_defs[] = {
     {
         .name = "qemu64",
         .level = 4,
-        .vendor1 = CPUID_VENDOR_AMD_1,
-        .vendor2 = CPUID_VENDOR_AMD_2,
-        .vendor3 = CPUID_VENDOR_AMD_3,
+        .vendor = CPUID_VENDOR_AMD,
         .family = 6,
         .model = 2,
         .stepping = 3,
@@ -359,9 +357,7 @@ static x86_def_t builtin_x86_defs[] = {
     {
         .name = "phenom",
         .level = 5,
-        .vendor1 = CPUID_VENDOR_AMD_1,
-        .vendor2 = CPUID_VENDOR_AMD_2,
-        .vendor3 = CPUID_VENDOR_AMD_3,
+        .vendor = CPUID_VENDOR_AMD,
         .family = 16,
         .model = 2,
         .stepping = 3,
@@ -387,9 +383,7 @@ static x86_def_t builtin_x86_defs[] = {
     {
         .name = "core2duo",
         .level = 10,
-        .vendor1 = CPUID_VENDOR_INTEL_1,
-        .vendor2 = CPUID_VENDOR_INTEL_2,
-        .vendor3 = CPUID_VENDOR_INTEL_3,
+        .vendor = CPUID_VENDOR_INTEL,
         .family = 6,
         .model = 15,
         .stepping = 11,
@@ -408,9 +402,7 @@ static x86_def_t builtin_x86_defs[] = {
     {
         .name = "kvm64",
         .level = 5,
-        .vendor1 = CPUID_VENDOR_INTEL_1,
-        .vendor2 = CPUID_VENDOR_INTEL_2,
-        .vendor3 = CPUID_VENDOR_INTEL_3,
+        .vendor = CPUID_VENDOR_INTEL,
         .family = 15,
         .model = 6,
         .stepping = 1,
@@ -434,9 +426,7 @@ static x86_def_t builtin_x86_defs[] = {
     {
         .name = "qemu32",
         .level = 4,
-        .vendor1 = CPUID_VENDOR_INTEL_1,
-        .vendor2 = CPUID_VENDOR_INTEL_2,
-        .vendor3 = CPUID_VENDOR_INTEL_3,
+        .vendor = CPUID_VENDOR_INTEL,
         .family = 6,
         .model = 3,
         .stepping = 3,
@@ -447,9 +437,7 @@ static x86_def_t builtin_x86_defs[] = {
     {
         .name = "kvm32",
         .level = 5,
-        .vendor1 = CPUID_VENDOR_INTEL_1,
-        .vendor2 = CPUID_VENDOR_INTEL_2,
-        .vendor3 = CPUID_VENDOR_INTEL_3,
+        .vendor = CPUID_VENDOR_INTEL,
         .family = 15,
         .model = 6,
         .stepping = 1,
@@ -464,9 +452,7 @@ static x86_def_t builtin_x86_defs[] = {
     {
         .name = "coreduo",
         .level = 10,
-        .vendor1 = CPUID_VENDOR_INTEL_1,
-        .vendor2 = CPUID_VENDOR_INTEL_2,
-        .vendor3 = CPUID_VENDOR_INTEL_3,
+        .vendor = CPUID_VENDOR_INTEL,
         .family = 6,
         .model = 14,
         .stepping = 8,
@@ -482,9 +468,7 @@ static x86_def_t builtin_x86_defs[] = {
     {
         .name = "486",
         .level = 1,
-        .vendor1 = CPUID_VENDOR_INTEL_1,
-        .vendor2 = CPUID_VENDOR_INTEL_2,
-        .vendor3 = CPUID_VENDOR_INTEL_3,
+        .vendor = CPUID_VENDOR_INTEL,
         .family = 4,
         .model = 0,
         .stepping = 0,
@@ -494,9 +478,7 @@ static x86_def_t builtin_x86_defs[] = {
     {
         .name = "pentium",
         .level = 1,
-        .vendor1 = CPUID_VENDOR_INTEL_1,
-        .vendor2 = CPUID_VENDOR_INTEL_2,
-        .vendor3 = CPUID_VENDOR_INTEL_3,
+        .vendor = CPUID_VENDOR_INTEL,
         .family = 5,
         .model = 4,
         .stepping = 3,
@@ -506,9 +488,7 @@ static x86_def_t builtin_x86_defs[] = {
     {
         .name = "pentium2",
         .level = 2,
-        .vendor1 = CPUID_VENDOR_INTEL_1,
-        .vendor2 = CPUID_VENDOR_INTEL_2,
-        .vendor3 = CPUID_VENDOR_INTEL_3,
+        .vendor = CPUID_VENDOR_INTEL,
         .family = 6,
         .model = 5,
         .stepping = 2,
@@ -518,9 +498,7 @@ static x86_def_t builtin_x86_defs[] = {
     {
         .name = "pentium3",
         .level = 2,
-        .vendor1 = CPUID_VENDOR_INTEL_1,
-        .vendor2 = CPUID_VENDOR_INTEL_2,
-        .vendor3 = CPUID_VENDOR_INTEL_3,
+        .vendor = CPUID_VENDOR_INTEL,
         .family = 6,
         .model = 7,
         .stepping = 3,
@@ -530,9 +508,7 @@ static x86_def_t builtin_x86_defs[] = {
     {
         .name = "athlon",
         .level = 2,
-        .vendor1 = CPUID_VENDOR_AMD_1,
-        .vendor2 = CPUID_VENDOR_AMD_2,
-        .vendor3 = CPUID_VENDOR_AMD_3,
+        .vendor = CPUID_VENDOR_AMD,
         .family = 6,
         .model = 2,
         .stepping = 3,
@@ -546,9 +522,7 @@ static x86_def_t builtin_x86_defs[] = {
         .name = "n270",
         /* original is on level 10 */
         .level = 5,
-        .vendor1 = CPUID_VENDOR_INTEL_1,
-        .vendor2 = CPUID_VENDOR_INTEL_2,
-        .vendor3 = CPUID_VENDOR_INTEL_3,
+        .vendor = CPUID_VENDOR_INTEL,
         .family = 6,
         .model = 28,
         .stepping = 2,
@@ -567,9 +541,7 @@ static x86_def_t builtin_x86_defs[] = {
     {
         .name = "Conroe",
         .level = 2,
-        .vendor1 = CPUID_VENDOR_INTEL_1,
-        .vendor2 = CPUID_VENDOR_INTEL_2,
-        .vendor3 = CPUID_VENDOR_INTEL_3,
+        .vendor = CPUID_VENDOR_INTEL,
         .family = 6,
         .model = 2,
         .stepping = 3,
@@ -587,9 +559,7 @@ static x86_def_t builtin_x86_defs[] = {
     {
         .name = "Penryn",
         .level = 2,
-        .vendor1 = CPUID_VENDOR_INTEL_1,
-        .vendor2 = CPUID_VENDOR_INTEL_2,
-        .vendor3 = CPUID_VENDOR_INTEL_3,
+        .vendor = CPUID_VENDOR_INTEL,
         .family = 6,
         .model = 2,
         .stepping = 3,
@@ -608,9 +578,7 @@ static x86_def_t builtin_x86_defs[] = {
     {
         .name = "Nehalem",
         .level = 2,
-        .vendor1 = CPUID_VENDOR_INTEL_1,
-        .vendor2 = CPUID_VENDOR_INTEL_2,
-        .vendor3 = CPUID_VENDOR_INTEL_3,
+        .vendor = CPUID_VENDOR_INTEL,
         .family = 6,
         .model = 2,
         .stepping = 3,
@@ -629,9 +597,7 @@ static x86_def_t builtin_x86_defs[] = {
     {
         .name = "Westmere",
         .level = 11,
-        .vendor1 = CPUID_VENDOR_INTEL_1,
-        .vendor2 = CPUID_VENDOR_INTEL_2,
-        .vendor3 = CPUID_VENDOR_INTEL_3,
+        .vendor = CPUID_VENDOR_INTEL,
         .family = 6,
         .model = 44,
         .stepping = 1,
@@ -651,9 +617,7 @@ static x86_def_t builtin_x86_defs[] = {
     {
         .name = "SandyBridge",
         .level = 0xd,
-        .vendor1 = CPUID_VENDOR_INTEL_1,
-        .vendor2 = CPUID_VENDOR_INTEL_2,
-        .vendor3 = CPUID_VENDOR_INTEL_3,
+        .vendor = CPUID_VENDOR_INTEL,
         .family = 6,
         .model = 42,
         .stepping = 1,
@@ -676,9 +640,7 @@ static x86_def_t builtin_x86_defs[] = {
     {
         .name = "Haswell",
         .level = 0xd,
-        .vendor1 = CPUID_VENDOR_INTEL_1,
-        .vendor2 = CPUID_VENDOR_INTEL_2,
-        .vendor3 = CPUID_VENDOR_INTEL_3,
+        .vendor = CPUID_VENDOR_INTEL,
         .family = 6,
         .model = 60,
         .stepping = 1,
@@ -706,9 +668,7 @@ static x86_def_t builtin_x86_defs[] = {
     {
         .name = "Opteron_G1",
         .level = 5,
-        .vendor1 = CPUID_VENDOR_AMD_1,
-        .vendor2 = CPUID_VENDOR_AMD_2,
-        .vendor3 = CPUID_VENDOR_AMD_3,
+        .vendor = CPUID_VENDOR_AMD,
         .family = 15,
         .model = 6,
         .stepping = 1,
@@ -730,9 +690,7 @@ static x86_def_t builtin_x86_defs[] = {
     {
         .name = "Opteron_G2",
         .level = 5,
-        .vendor1 = CPUID_VENDOR_AMD_1,
-        .vendor2 = CPUID_VENDOR_AMD_2,
-        .vendor3 = CPUID_VENDOR_AMD_3,
+        .vendor = CPUID_VENDOR_AMD,
         .family = 15,
         .model = 6,
         .stepping = 1,
@@ -756,9 +714,7 @@ static x86_def_t builtin_x86_defs[] = {
     {
         .name = "Opteron_G3",
         .level = 5,
-        .vendor1 = CPUID_VENDOR_AMD_1,
-        .vendor2 = CPUID_VENDOR_AMD_2,
-        .vendor3 = CPUID_VENDOR_AMD_3,
+        .vendor = CPUID_VENDOR_AMD,
         .family = 15,
         .model = 6,
         .stepping = 1,
@@ -784,9 +740,7 @@ static x86_def_t builtin_x86_defs[] = {
     {
         .name = "Opteron_G4",
         .level = 0xd,
-        .vendor1 = CPUID_VENDOR_AMD_1,
-        .vendor2 = CPUID_VENDOR_AMD_2,
-        .vendor3 = CPUID_VENDOR_AMD_3,
+        .vendor = CPUID_VENDOR_AMD,
         .family = 21,
         .model = 1,
         .stepping = 2,
@@ -816,9 +770,7 @@ static x86_def_t builtin_x86_defs[] = {
     {
         .name = "Opteron_G5",
         .level = 0xd,
-        .vendor1 = CPUID_VENDOR_AMD_1,
-        .vendor2 = CPUID_VENDOR_AMD_2,
-        .vendor3 = CPUID_VENDOR_AMD_3,
+        .vendor = CPUID_VENDOR_AMD,
         .family = 21,
         .model = 2,
         .stepping = 0,
@@ -889,9 +841,7 @@ static void kvm_cpu_fill_host(x86_def_t *x86_cpu_def)
 
     x86_cpu_def->name = "host";
     host_cpuid(0x0, 0, &eax, &ebx, &ecx, &edx);
-    x86_cpu_def->vendor1 = ebx;
-    x86_cpu_def->vendor2 = edx;
-    x86_cpu_def->vendor3 = ecx;
+    x86cpu_vendor_words2str(x86_cpu_def->vendor, ebx, edx, ecx);
 
     host_cpuid(0x1, 0, &eax, &ebx, &ecx, &edx);
     x86_cpu_def->family = ((eax >> 8) & 0x0F) + ((eax >> 20) & 0xFF);
@@ -919,9 +869,7 @@ static void kvm_cpu_fill_host(x86_def_t *x86_cpu_def)
     x86_cpu_def->vendor_override = 0;
 
     /* Call Centaur's CPUID instruction. */
-    if (x86_cpu_def->vendor1 == CPUID_VENDOR_VIA_1 &&
-        x86_cpu_def->vendor2 == CPUID_VENDOR_VIA_2 &&
-        x86_cpu_def->vendor3 == CPUID_VENDOR_VIA_3) {
+    if (!strcmp(x86_cpu_def->vendor, CPUID_VENDOR_VIA)) {
         host_cpuid(0xC0000000, 0, &eax, &ebx, &ecx, &edx);
         eax = kvm_arch_get_supported_cpuid(s, 0xC0000000, 0, R_EAX);
         if (eax >= 0xC0000001) {
@@ -1245,10 +1193,8 @@ static void cpudef_2_x86_cpu(X86CPU *cpu, x86_def_t *def, Error **errp)
 {
     CPUX86State *env = &cpu->env;
 
-    assert(def->vendor1);
-    env->cpuid_vendor1 = def->vendor1;
-    env->cpuid_vendor2 = def->vendor2;
-    env->cpuid_vendor3 = def->vendor3;
+    assert(def->vendor[0]);
+    object_property_set_str(OBJECT(cpu), def->vendor, "vendor", errp);
     env->cpuid_vendor_override = def->vendor_override;
     object_property_set_int(OBJECT(cpu), def->level, "level", errp);
     object_property_set_int(OBJECT(cpu), def->family, "family", errp);
@@ -1295,7 +1241,6 @@ static int cpu_x86_find_by_name(x86_def_t *x86_cpu_def, const char *name)
  */
 static int cpu_x86_parse_featurestr(x86_def_t *x86_cpu_def, char *features)
 {
-    unsigned int i;
     char *featurestr; /* Single 'key=value" string being parsed */
     /* Features to be added */
     uint32_t plus_features = 0, plus_ext_features = 0;
@@ -1369,18 +1314,7 @@ static int cpu_x86_parse_featurestr(x86_def_t *x86_cpu_def, char *features)
                 }
                 x86_cpu_def->xlevel = numvalue;
             } else if (!strcmp(featurestr, "vendor")) {
-                if (strlen(val) != 12) {
-                    fprintf(stderr, "vendor string must be 12 chars long\n");
-                    goto error;
-                }
-                x86_cpu_def->vendor1 = 0;
-                x86_cpu_def->vendor2 = 0;
-                x86_cpu_def->vendor3 = 0;
-                for(i = 0; i < 4; i++) {
-                    x86_cpu_def->vendor1 |= ((uint8_t)val[i    ]) << (8 * i);
-                    x86_cpu_def->vendor2 |= ((uint8_t)val[i + 4]) << (8 * i);
-                    x86_cpu_def->vendor3 |= ((uint8_t)val[i + 8]) << (8 * i);
-                }
+                pstrcpy(x86_cpu_def->vendor, sizeof(x86_cpu_def->vendor), val);
                 x86_cpu_def->vendor_override = 1;
             } else if (!strcmp(featurestr, "model_id")) {
                 pstrcpy(x86_cpu_def->model_id, sizeof(x86_cpu_def->model_id),
diff --git a/target-i386/cpu.h b/target-i386/cpu.h
index 386c4f6..fbbe730 100644
--- a/target-i386/cpu.h
+++ b/target-i386/cpu.h
@@ -515,14 +515,14 @@
 #define CPUID_VENDOR_INTEL_1 0x756e6547 /* "Genu" */
 #define CPUID_VENDOR_INTEL_2 0x49656e69 /* "ineI" */
 #define CPUID_VENDOR_INTEL_3 0x6c65746e /* "ntel" */
+#define CPUID_VENDOR_INTEL "GenuineIntel"
 
 #define CPUID_VENDOR_AMD_1   0x68747541 /* "Auth" */
 #define CPUID_VENDOR_AMD_2   0x69746e65 /* "enti" */
 #define CPUID_VENDOR_AMD_3   0x444d4163 /* "cAMD" */
+#define CPUID_VENDOR_AMD   "AuthenticAMD"
 
-#define CPUID_VENDOR_VIA_1   0x746e6543 /* "Cent" */
-#define CPUID_VENDOR_VIA_2   0x48727561 /* "aurH" */
-#define CPUID_VENDOR_VIA_3   0x736c7561 /* "auls" */
+#define CPUID_VENDOR_VIA   "CentaurHauls"
 
 #define CPUID_MWAIT_IBE     (1 << 1) /* Interrupts can exit capability */
 #define CPUID_MWAIT_EMX     (1 << 0) /* enumeration supported */
