diff --git a/hw/intc/xics_spapr.c b/hw/intc/xics_spapr.c
index 8d605b68a7a0..7cd3c93d719f 100644
--- a/hw/intc/xics_spapr.c
+++ b/hw/intc/xics_spapr.c
@@ -41,22 +41,23 @@
  * Guest interfaces
  */
 
-static bool check_in_kernel_xics(const char *func)
+static bool check_emulated_xics(SpaprMachineState *spapr, const char *func)
 {
-    if (kvm_irqchip_in_kernel()) {
-        error_report("pseries: %s must never be called for in-kernel XICS",
+    if (spapr_ovec_test(spapr->ov5_cas, OV5_XIVE_EXPLOIT) ||
+        kvm_irqchip_in_kernel()) {
+        error_report("pseries: %s must only be called for emulated XICS",
                      func);
-        return true;
+        return false;
     }
 
-    return false;
+    return true;
 }
 
-#define CHECK_IN_KERNEL_XICS_HCALL              \
-    do {                                        \
-        if (check_in_kernel_xics(__func__)) {   \
-            return H_HARDWARE;                  \
-        }                                       \
+#define CHECK_EMULATED_XICS_HCALL(spapr)               \
+    do {                                               \
+        if (!check_emulated_xics((spapr), __func__)) { \
+            return H_HARDWARE;                         \
+        }                                              \
     } while (0)
 
 static target_ulong h_cppr(PowerPCCPU *cpu, SpaprMachineState *spapr,
@@ -64,7 +65,7 @@ static target_ulong h_cppr(PowerPCCPU *cpu, SpaprMachineState *spapr,
 {
     target_ulong cppr = args[0];
 
-    CHECK_IN_KERNEL_XICS_HCALL;
+    CHECK_EMULATED_XICS_HCALL(spapr);
 
     icp_set_cppr(spapr_cpu_state(cpu)->icp, cppr);
     return H_SUCCESS;
@@ -76,7 +77,7 @@ static target_ulong h_ipi(PowerPCCPU *cpu, SpaprMachineState *spapr,
     target_ulong mfrr = args[1];
     ICPState *icp = xics_icp_get(XICS_FABRIC(spapr), args[0]);
 
-    CHECK_IN_KERNEL_XICS_HCALL;
+    CHECK_EMULATED_XICS_HCALL(spapr);
 
     if (!icp) {
         return H_PARAMETER;
@@ -91,7 +92,7 @@ static target_ulong h_xirr(PowerPCCPU *cpu, SpaprMachineState *spapr,
 {
     uint32_t xirr = icp_accept(spapr_cpu_state(cpu)->icp);
 
-    CHECK_IN_KERNEL_XICS_HCALL;
+    CHECK_EMULATED_XICS_HCALL(spapr);
 
     args[0] = xirr;
     return H_SUCCESS;
@@ -102,7 +103,7 @@ static target_ulong h_xirr_x(PowerPCCPU *cpu, SpaprMachineState *spapr,
 {
     uint32_t xirr = icp_accept(spapr_cpu_state(cpu)->icp);
 
-    CHECK_IN_KERNEL_XICS_HCALL;
+    CHECK_EMULATED_XICS_HCALL(spapr);
 
     args[0] = xirr;
     args[1] = cpu_get_host_ticks();
@@ -114,7 +115,7 @@ static target_ulong h_eoi(PowerPCCPU *cpu, SpaprMachineState *spapr,
 {
     target_ulong xirr = args[0];
 
-    CHECK_IN_KERNEL_XICS_HCALL;
+    CHECK_EMULATED_XICS_HCALL(spapr);
 
     icp_eoi(spapr_cpu_state(cpu)->icp, xirr);
     return H_SUCCESS;
@@ -127,7 +128,7 @@ static target_ulong h_ipoll(PowerPCCPU *cpu, SpaprMachineState *spapr,
     uint32_t mfrr;
     uint32_t xirr;
 
-    CHECK_IN_KERNEL_XICS_HCALL;
+    CHECK_EMULATED_XICS_HCALL(spapr);
 
     if (!icp) {
         return H_PARAMETER;
@@ -141,12 +142,12 @@ static target_ulong h_ipoll(PowerPCCPU *cpu, SpaprMachineState *spapr,
     return H_SUCCESS;
 }
 
-#define CHECK_IN_KERNEL_XICS_RTAS(rets)                 \
-    do {                                                \
-        if (check_in_kernel_xics(__func__)) {           \
-            rtas_st((rets), 0, RTAS_OUT_HW_ERROR);      \
-            return;                                     \
-        }                                               \
+#define CHECK_EMULATED_XICS_RTAS(spapr, rets)          \
+    do {                                               \
+        if (!check_emulated_xics((spapr), __func__)) { \
+            rtas_st((rets), 0, RTAS_OUT_HW_ERROR);     \
+            return;                                    \
+        }                                              \
     } while (0)
 
 static void rtas_set_xive(PowerPCCPU *cpu, SpaprMachineState *spapr,
@@ -157,7 +158,7 @@ static void rtas_set_xive(PowerPCCPU *cpu, SpaprMachineState *spapr,
     ICSState *ics = spapr->ics;
     uint32_t nr, srcno, server, priority;
 
-    CHECK_IN_KERNEL_XICS_RTAS(rets);
+    CHECK_EMULATED_XICS_RTAS(spapr, rets);
 
     if ((nargs != 3) || (nret != 1)) {
         rtas_st(rets, 0, RTAS_OUT_PARAM_ERROR);
@@ -192,7 +193,7 @@ static void rtas_get_xive(PowerPCCPU *cpu, SpaprMachineState *spapr,
     ICSState *ics = spapr->ics;
     uint32_t nr, srcno;
 
-    CHECK_IN_KERNEL_XICS_RTAS(rets);
+    CHECK_EMULATED_XICS_RTAS(spapr, rets);
 
     if ((nargs != 1) || (nret != 3)) {
         rtas_st(rets, 0, RTAS_OUT_PARAM_ERROR);
@@ -224,7 +225,7 @@ static void rtas_int_off(PowerPCCPU *cpu, SpaprMachineState *spapr,
     ICSState *ics = spapr->ics;
     uint32_t nr, srcno;
 
-    CHECK_IN_KERNEL_XICS_RTAS(rets);
+    CHECK_EMULATED_XICS_RTAS(spapr, rets);
 
     if ((nargs != 1) || (nret != 1)) {
         rtas_st(rets, 0, RTAS_OUT_PARAM_ERROR);
@@ -257,7 +258,7 @@ static void rtas_int_on(PowerPCCPU *cpu, SpaprMachineState *spapr,
     ICSState *ics = spapr->ics;
     uint32_t nr, srcno;
 
-    CHECK_IN_KERNEL_XICS_RTAS(rets);
+    CHECK_EMULATED_XICS_RTAS(spapr, rets);
 
     if ((nargs != 1) || (nret != 1)) {
         rtas_st(rets, 0, RTAS_OUT_PARAM_ERROR);
