diff --git a/hw/ppc/spapr.c b/hw/ppc/spapr.c
index 35a4168..3878baf 100644
--- a/hw/ppc/spapr.c
+++ b/hw/ppc/spapr.c
@@ -1848,7 +1848,7 @@ static void ppc_spapr_init(MachineState *machine)
         machine->cpu_model = kvm_enabled() ? "host" : smc->tcg_default_cpu;
     }
 
-    ppc_cpu_parse_features(machine->cpu_model);
+    spapr_cpu_parse_features(spapr);
 
     spapr_init_cpus(spapr);
 
@@ -2190,6 +2190,10 @@ static void spapr_machine_initfn(Object *obj)
                                     " place of standard EPOW events when possible"
                                     " (required for memory hot-unplug support)",
                                     NULL);
+
+    object_property_add(obj, "max-cpu-compat", "str",
+                        ppc_compat_prop_get, ppc_compat_prop_set,
+                        NULL, &spapr->max_compat_pvr, &error_fatal);
 }
 
 static void spapr_machine_finalizefn(Object *obj)
diff --git a/hw/ppc/spapr_cpu_core.c b/hw/ppc/spapr_cpu_core.c
index 7fafdae..c5dda80 100644
--- a/hw/ppc/spapr_cpu_core.c
+++ b/hw/ppc/spapr_cpu_core.c
@@ -18,6 +18,43 @@
 #include "target-ppc/mmu-hash64.h"
 #include "sysemu/numa.h"
 
+void spapr_cpu_parse_features(sPAPRMachineState *spapr)
+{
+    /*
+     * Backwards compatibility hack:
+
+     *   CPUs had a "compat=" property which didn't make sense for
+     *   anything except pseries.  It was replaced by "max-cpu-compat"
+     *   machine option.  This supports old command lines like
+     *       -cpu POWER8,compat=power7
+     *   By stripping the compat option and applying it to the machine
+     *   before passing it on to the cpu level parser.
+     */
+    gchar **inpieces;
+    int n, i;
+    gchar *compat_str = NULL;
+
+    inpieces = g_strsplit(MACHINE(spapr)->cpu_model, ",", 0);
+    n = g_strv_length(inpieces);
+
+    /* inpieces[0] is the actual model string */
+    for (i = 0; i < n; i++) {
+        if (g_str_has_prefix(inpieces[i], "compat=")) {
+            compat_str = inpieces[i];
+        }
+    }
+
+    if (compat_str) {
+        char *val = compat_str + strlen("compat=");
+        object_property_set_str(OBJECT(spapr), val, "max-cpu-compat",
+                                &error_fatal);
+    }
+
+    ppc_cpu_parse_features(MACHINE(spapr)->cpu_model);
+
+    g_strfreev(inpieces);
+}
+
 static void spapr_cpu_reset(void *opaque)
 {
     sPAPRMachineState *spapr = SPAPR_MACHINE(qdev_get_machine());
@@ -60,10 +97,10 @@ static void spapr_cpu_init(sPAPRMachineState *spapr, PowerPCCPU *cpu,
     cpu_ppc_set_vhyp(cpu, PPC_VIRTUAL_HYPERVISOR(spapr));
     cpu_ppc_set_papr(cpu);
 
-    if (cpu->max_compat) {
+    if (spapr->max_compat_pvr) {
         Error *local_err = NULL;
 
-        ppc_set_compat(cpu, cpu->max_compat, &local_err);
+        ppc_set_compat(cpu, spapr->max_compat_pvr, &local_err);
         if (local_err) {
             error_propagate(errp, local_err);
             return;
diff --git a/hw/ppc/spapr_hcall.c b/hw/ppc/spapr_hcall.c
index 96d50ad..9478eae 100644
--- a/hw/ppc/spapr_hcall.c
+++ b/hw/ppc/spapr_hcall.c
@@ -889,7 +889,7 @@ static target_ulong h_client_architecture_support(PowerPCCPU *cpu,
     target_ulong list = ppc64_phys_to_real(args[0]);
     target_ulong ov_table;
     bool explicit_match = false; /* Matched the CPU's real PVR */
-    uint32_t max_compat = cpu->max_compat;
+    uint32_t max_compat = spapr->max_compat_pvr;
     uint32_t best_compat = 0;
     int i;
     sPAPROptionVector *ov5_guest, *ov5_cas_old, *ov5_updates;
diff --git a/include/hw/ppc/spapr.h b/include/hw/ppc/spapr.h
index 04d2821..d2a40e9 100644
--- a/include/hw/ppc/spapr.h
+++ b/include/hw/ppc/spapr.h
@@ -74,15 +74,18 @@ struct sPAPRMachineState {
     uint64_t rtc_offset; /* Now used only during incoming migration */
     struct PPCTimebase tb;
     bool has_graphics;
-    sPAPROptionVector *ov5;         /* QEMU-supported option vectors */
-    sPAPROptionVector *ov5_cas;     /* negotiated (via CAS) option vectors */
-    bool cas_reboot;
 
     Notifier epow_notifier;
     QTAILQ_HEAD(, sPAPREventLogEntry) pending_events;
     bool use_hotplug_event_source;
     sPAPREventSource *event_sources;
 
+    /* ibm,client-architecture-support option negotiation */
+    bool cas_reboot;
+    sPAPROptionVector *ov5;         /* QEMU-supported option vectors */
+    sPAPROptionVector *ov5_cas;     /* negotiated (via CAS) option vectors */
+    uint32_t max_compat_pvr;
+
     /* Migration state */
     int htab_save_index;
     bool htab_first_pass;
@@ -613,6 +616,7 @@ void spapr_hotplug_req_add_by_count_indexed(sPAPRDRConnectorType drc_type,
                                             uint32_t count, uint32_t index);
 void spapr_hotplug_req_remove_by_count_indexed(sPAPRDRConnectorType drc_type,
                                                uint32_t count, uint32_t index);
+void spapr_cpu_parse_features(sPAPRMachineState *spapr);
 void *spapr_populate_hotplug_cpu_dt(CPUState *cs, int *fdt_offset,
                                     sPAPRMachineState *spapr);
 
diff --git a/target-ppc/compat.c b/target-ppc/compat.c
index 8de9dfb..77caa7a 100644
--- a/target-ppc/compat.c
+++ b/target-ppc/compat.c
@@ -23,9 +23,11 @@
 #include "sysemu/cpus.h"
 #include "qemu/error-report.h"
 #include "qapi/error.h"
+#include "qapi/visitor.h"
 #include "cpu-models.h"
 
 typedef struct {
+    const char *name;
     uint32_t pvr;
     uint64_t pcr;
     uint64_t pcr_level;
@@ -37,6 +39,7 @@ static const CompatInfo compat_table[] = {
      * Ordered from oldest to newest - the code relies on this
      */
     { /* POWER6, ISA2.05 */
+        .name = "power6",
         .pvr = CPU_POWERPC_LOGICAL_2_05,
         .pcr = PCR_COMPAT_2_07 | PCR_COMPAT_2_06 | PCR_COMPAT_2_05
                | PCR_TM_DIS | PCR_VSX_DIS,
@@ -44,18 +47,21 @@ static const CompatInfo compat_table[] = {
         .max_threads = 2,
     },
     { /* POWER7, ISA2.06 */
+        .name = "power7",
         .pvr = CPU_POWERPC_LOGICAL_2_06,
         .pcr = PCR_COMPAT_2_07 | PCR_COMPAT_2_06 | PCR_TM_DIS,
         .pcr_level = PCR_COMPAT_2_06,
         .max_threads = 4,
     },
     {
+        .name = "power7+",
         .pvr = CPU_POWERPC_LOGICAL_2_06_PLUS,
         .pcr = PCR_COMPAT_2_07 | PCR_COMPAT_2_06 | PCR_TM_DIS,
         .pcr_level = PCR_COMPAT_2_06,
         .max_threads = 4,
     },
     { /* POWER8, ISA2.07 */
+        .name = "power8",
         .pvr = CPU_POWERPC_LOGICAL_2_07,
         .pcr = PCR_COMPAT_2_07,
         .pcr_level = PCR_COMPAT_2_07,
@@ -182,3 +188,62 @@ int ppc_compat_max_threads(PowerPCCPU *cpu)
 
     return n_threads;
 }
+
+void ppc_compat_prop_get(Object *obj, Visitor *v, const char *name,
+                         void *opaque, Error **errp)
+{
+    uint32_t compat_pvr = *((uint32_t *)opaque);
+    const char *value;
+
+    if (!compat_pvr) {
+        value = "";
+    } else {
+        const CompatInfo *compat = compat_by_pvr(compat_pvr);
+
+        g_assert(compat);
+
+        value = compat->name;
+    }
+
+    visit_type_str(v, name, (char **)&value, errp);
+}
+
+void ppc_compat_prop_set(Object *obj, Visitor *v, const char *name,
+                         void *opaque, Error **errp)
+{
+    Error *error = NULL;
+    char *value;
+    uint32_t compat_pvr;
+
+    visit_type_str(v, name, &value, &error);
+    if (error) {
+        error_propagate(errp, error);
+        return;
+    }
+
+    if (strcmp(value, "") == 0) {
+        compat_pvr = 0;
+    } else {
+        int i;
+        const CompatInfo *compat = NULL;
+
+        for (i = 0; i < ARRAY_SIZE(compat_table); i++) {
+            if (strcmp(value, compat_table[i].name) == 0) {
+                compat = &compat_table[i];
+                break;
+
+            }
+        }
+
+        if (!compat) {
+            error_setg(errp, "Invalid compatibility mode \"%s\"", value);
+            goto out;
+        }
+        compat_pvr = compat->pvr;
+    }
+
+    *((uint32_t *)opaque) = compat_pvr;
+
+out:
+    g_free(value);
+}
diff --git a/target-ppc/cpu.h b/target-ppc/cpu.h
index 201a655..51d21bb 100644
--- a/target-ppc/cpu.h
+++ b/target-ppc/cpu.h
@@ -1155,7 +1155,6 @@ typedef struct PPCVirtualHypervisorClass PPCVirtualHypervisorClass;
  * PowerPCCPU:
  * @env: #CPUPPCState
  * @cpu_dt_id: CPU index used in the device tree. KVM uses this index too
- * @max_compat: Maximal supported logical PVR from the command line
  * @compat_pvr: Current logical PVR, zero if in "raw" mode
  *
  * A PowerPC CPU.
@@ -1167,7 +1166,6 @@ struct PowerPCCPU {
 
     CPUPPCState env;
     int cpu_dt_id;
-    uint32_t max_compat;
     uint32_t compat_pvr;
     PPCVirtualHypervisor *vhyp;
 };
@@ -1321,6 +1319,10 @@ void ppc_set_compat(PowerPCCPU *cpu, uint32_t compat_pvr, Error **errp);
 void ppc_set_compat_all(uint32_t compat_pvr, Error **errp);
 #endif
 int ppc_compat_max_threads(PowerPCCPU *cpu);
+void ppc_compat_prop_get(Object *obj, Visitor *v,
+                         const char *name, void *opaque, Error **err);
+void ppc_compat_prop_set(Object *obj, Visitor *v,
+                         const char *name, void *opaque, Error **err);
 #endif /* defined(TARGET_PPC64) */
 
 #include "exec/cpu-all.h"
diff --git a/target-ppc/translate_init.c b/target-ppc/translate_init.c
index ba48242..4fce5a8 100644
--- a/target-ppc/translate_init.c
+++ b/target-ppc/translate_init.c
@@ -8428,73 +8428,35 @@ POWERPC_FAMILY(POWER5P)(ObjectClass *oc, void *data)
     pcc->l1_icache_size = 0x10000;
 }
 
-static void powerpc_get_compat(Object *obj, Visitor *v, const char *name,
-                               void *opaque, Error **errp)
-{
-    char *value = (char *)"";
-    Property *prop = opaque;
-    uint32_t *max_compat = qdev_get_prop_ptr(DEVICE(obj), prop);
-
-    switch (*max_compat) {
-    case CPU_POWERPC_LOGICAL_2_05:
-        value = (char *)"power6";
-        break;
-    case CPU_POWERPC_LOGICAL_2_06:
-        value = (char *)"power7";
-        break;
-    case CPU_POWERPC_LOGICAL_2_07:
-        value = (char *)"power8";
-        break;
-    case 0:
-        break;
-    default:
-        error_report("Internal error: compat is set to %x", *max_compat);
-        abort();
-        break;
-    }
-
-    visit_type_str(v, name, &value, errp);
-}
-
-static void powerpc_set_compat(Object *obj, Visitor *v, const char *name,
-                               void *opaque, Error **errp)
+/*
+ * The CPU used to have a "compat" property which set the
+ * compatibility mode PVR.  However, this was conceptually broken - it
+ * only makes sense on the pseries machine type (otherwise the guest
+ * owns the PCR and can control the compatibility mode itself).  It's
+ * been replaced with the 'max-cpu-compat' property on the pseries
+ * machine type.  For backwards compatibility, pseries specially
+ * parses the -cpu parameter and converts old compat= parameters into
+ * the appropriate machine parameters.  This stub implementation of
+ * the parameter catches any uses on explicitly created CPUs.
+ */
+static void getset_compat_deprecated(Object *obj, Visitor *v, const char *name,
+                                     void *opaque, Error **errp)
 {
-    Error *error = NULL;
-    char *value = NULL;
-    Property *prop = opaque;
-    uint32_t *max_compat = qdev_get_prop_ptr(DEVICE(obj), prop);
-
-    visit_type_str(v, name, &value, &error);
-    if (error) {
-        error_propagate(errp, error);
-        return;
-    }
-
-    if (strcmp(value, "power6") == 0) {
-        *max_compat = CPU_POWERPC_LOGICAL_2_05;
-    } else if (strcmp(value, "power7") == 0) {
-        *max_compat = CPU_POWERPC_LOGICAL_2_06;
-    } else if (strcmp(value, "power8") == 0) {
-        *max_compat = CPU_POWERPC_LOGICAL_2_07;
-    } else {
-        error_setg(errp, "Invalid compatibility mode \"%s\"", value);
-    }
-
-    g_free(value);
+    error_report("CPU 'compat' property is deprecated and has no effect; use max-cpu-compat machine property instead");
+    visit_type_null(v, name, errp);
 }
 
-static PropertyInfo powerpc_compat_propinfo = {
+static PropertyInfo ppc_compat_deprecated_propinfo = {
     .name = "str",
-    .description = "compatibility mode, power6/power7/power8",
-    .get = powerpc_get_compat,
-    .set = powerpc_set_compat,
+    .description = "compatibility mode (deprecated)",
+    .get = getset_compat_deprecated,
+    .set = getset_compat_deprecated,
 };
-
-#define DEFINE_PROP_POWERPC_COMPAT(_n, _s, _f) \
-    DEFINE_PROP(_n, _s, _f, powerpc_compat_propinfo, uint32_t)
-
 static Property powerpc_servercpu_properties[] = {
-    DEFINE_PROP_POWERPC_COMPAT("compat", PowerPCCPU, max_compat),
+    {
+        .name = "compat",
+        .info = &ppc_compat_deprecated_propinfo,
+    },
     DEFINE_PROP_END_OF_LIST(),
 };
 
