diff --git a/hw/intc/spapr_xive_kvm.c b/hw/intc/spapr_xive_kvm.c
index 93ea8e71047a..d35814c1992e 100644
--- a/hw/intc/spapr_xive_kvm.c
+++ b/hw/intc/spapr_xive_kvm.c
@@ -95,9 +95,15 @@ static void kvmppc_xive_cpu_set_state(XiveTCTX *tctx, Error **errp)
 
 void kvmppc_xive_cpu_get_state(XiveTCTX *tctx, Error **errp)
 {
+    sPAPRXive *xive = SPAPR_MACHINE(qdev_get_machine())->xive;
     uint64_t state[4] = { 0 };
     int ret;
 
+    /* The KVM XIVE device is not in use */
+    if (xive->fd == -1) {
+        return;
+    }
+
     ret = kvm_get_one_reg(tctx->cs, KVM_REG_PPC_NVT_STATE, state);
     if (ret != 0) {
         error_setg_errno(errp, errno,
@@ -151,6 +157,11 @@ void kvmppc_xive_cpu_connect(XiveTCTX *tctx, Error **errp)
     unsigned long vcpu_id;
     int ret;
 
+    /* The KVM XIVE device is not in use */
+    if (xive->fd == -1) {
+        return;
+    }
+
     /* Check if CPU was hot unplugged and replugged. */
     if (kvm_cpu_is_enabled(tctx->cs)) {
         return;
@@ -234,9 +245,13 @@ static void kvmppc_xive_source_get_state(XiveSource *xsrc)
 void kvmppc_xive_source_set_irq(void *opaque, int srcno, int val)
 {
     XiveSource *xsrc = opaque;
+    sPAPRXive *xive = SPAPR_XIVE(xsrc->xive);
     struct kvm_irq_level args;
     int rc;
 
+    /* The KVM XIVE device should be in use */
+    assert(xive->fd != -1);
+
     args.irq = srcno;
     if (!xive_source_irq_is_lsi(xsrc, srcno)) {
         if (!val) {
@@ -580,6 +595,11 @@ int kvmppc_xive_pre_save(sPAPRXive *xive)
     Error *local_err = NULL;
     CPUState *cs;
 
+    /* The KVM XIVE device is not in use */
+    if (xive->fd == -1) {
+        return 0;
+    }
+
     /* Grab the EAT */
     kvmppc_xive_get_eas_state(xive, &local_err);
     if (local_err) {
@@ -612,6 +632,9 @@ int kvmppc_xive_post_load(sPAPRXive *xive, int version_id)
     Error *local_err = NULL;
     CPUState *cs;
 
+    /* The KVM XIVE device should be in use */
+    assert(xive->fd != -1);
+
     /* Restore the ENDT first. The targetting depends on it. */
     CPU_FOREACH(cs) {
         kvmppc_xive_set_eq_state(xive, cs, &local_err);
@@ -649,6 +672,11 @@ void kvmppc_xive_synchronize_state(sPAPRXive *xive, Error **errp)
     CPUState *cs;
     Error *local_err = NULL;
 
+    /* The KVM XIVE device is not in use */
+    if (xive->fd == -1) {
+        return;
+    }
+
     /*
      * When the VM is stopped, the sources are masked and the previous
      * state is saved in anticipation of a migration. We should not
diff --git a/hw/intc/xics_kvm.c b/hw/intc/xics_kvm.c
index da6a00bc88cc..651bbfdf6966 100644
--- a/hw/intc/xics_kvm.c
+++ b/hw/intc/xics_kvm.c
@@ -68,6 +68,11 @@ static void icp_get_kvm_state(ICPState *icp)
     uint64_t state;
     int ret;
 
+    /* The KVM XICS device is not in use */
+    if (kernel_xics_fd == -1) {
+        return;
+    }
+
     /* ICP for this CPU thread is not in use, exiting */
     if (!icp->cs) {
         return;
@@ -104,6 +109,11 @@ static int icp_set_kvm_state(ICPState *icp, int version_id)
     uint64_t state;
     int ret;
 
+    /* The KVM XICS device is not in use */
+    if (kernel_xics_fd == -1) {
+        return 0;
+    }
+
     /* ICP for this CPU thread is not in use, exiting */
     if (!icp->cs) {
         return 0;
@@ -140,8 +150,8 @@ static void icp_kvm_connect(ICPState *icp, Error **errp)
     unsigned long vcpu_id;
     int ret;
 
+    /* The KVM XICS device is not in use */
     if (kernel_xics_fd == -1) {
-        abort();
         return;
     }
 
@@ -220,6 +230,11 @@ static void ics_get_kvm_state(ICSState *ics)
     uint64_t state;
     int i;
 
+    /* The KVM XICS device is not in use */
+    if (kernel_xics_fd == -1) {
+        return;
+    }
+
     for (i = 0; i < ics->nr_irqs; i++) {
         ICSIRQState *irq = &ics->irqs[i];
 
@@ -279,6 +294,11 @@ static int ics_set_kvm_state(ICSState *ics, int version_id)
     int i;
     Error *local_err = NULL;
 
+    /* The KVM XICS device is not in use */
+    if (kernel_xics_fd == -1) {
+        return 0;
+    }
+
     for (i = 0; i < ics->nr_irqs; i++) {
         ICSIRQState *irq = &ics->irqs[i];
         int ret;
@@ -325,6 +345,9 @@ void ics_kvm_set_irq(void *opaque, int srcno, int val)
     struct kvm_irq_level args;
     int rc;
 
+    /* The KVM XICS device should be in use */
+    assert(kernel_xics_fd != -1);
+
     args.irq = srcno + ics->offset;
     if (ics->irqs[srcno].flags & XICS_FLAGS_IRQ_MSI) {
         if (!val) {
