diff --git a/configs/example/fs.py b/configs/example/fs.py
index 1ada59084..8102edc75 100644
--- a/configs/example/fs.py
+++ b/configs/example/fs.py
@@ -143,7 +143,7 @@ def build_test_system(np):
                     for i in xrange(np)]
 
     if is_kvm_cpu(TestCPUClass) or is_kvm_cpu(FutureClass):
-        test_sys.vm = KvmVM()
+        test_sys.kvm_vm = KvmVM()
 
     if options.ruby:
         # Check for timing mode because ruby does not support atomic accesses
@@ -280,7 +280,7 @@ def build_drive_system(np):
         drive_sys.kernel = binary(options.kernel)
 
     if is_kvm_cpu(DriveCPUClass):
-        drive_sys.vm = KvmVM()
+        drive_sys.kvm_vm = KvmVM()
 
     drive_sys.iobridge = Bridge(delay='50ns',
                                 ranges = drive_sys.mem_ranges)
diff --git a/configs/example/se.py b/configs/example/se.py
index c48b99eb4..4adfe7bb8 100644
--- a/configs/example/se.py
+++ b/configs/example/se.py
@@ -209,7 +209,7 @@ for cpu in system.cpu:
 
 if is_kvm_cpu(CPUClass) or is_kvm_cpu(FutureClass):
     if buildEnv['TARGET_ISA'] == 'x86':
-        system.vm = KvmVM()
+        system.kvm_vm = KvmVM()
         for process in multiprocesses:
             process.useArchPT = True
             process.kvmInSE = True
diff --git a/src/arch/arm/kvm/KvmGic.py b/src/arch/arm/kvm/KvmGic.py
index 74bfe1e0b..9ae52db22 100644
--- a/src/arch/arm/kvm/KvmGic.py
+++ b/src/arch/arm/kvm/KvmGic.py
@@ -52,4 +52,3 @@ class KvmGic(BaseGic):
 
     system = Param.System(Parent.any,
                           'System this interrupt controller belongs to')
-    kvmVM = Param.KvmVM(Parent.any, 'KVM VM (i.e., shared memory domain)')
diff --git a/src/arch/arm/kvm/gic.cc b/src/arch/arm/kvm/gic.cc
index 684f026f0..c5a30879c 100644
--- a/src/arch/arm/kvm/gic.cc
+++ b/src/arch/arm/kvm/gic.cc
@@ -106,7 +106,8 @@ KvmKernelGicV2::setIntState(unsigned type, unsigned vcpu, unsigned irq,
 KvmGic::KvmGic(const KvmGicParams *p)
     : BaseGic(p),
       system(*p->system),
-      kernelGic(*p->kvmVM, p->cpu_addr, p->dist_addr, p->it_lines),
+      kernelGic(*system.getKvmVM(),
+                p->cpu_addr, p->dist_addr, p->it_lines),
       addrRanges{kernelGic.distRange, kernelGic.cpuRange}
 {
 }
diff --git a/src/cpu/kvm/BaseKvmCPU.py b/src/cpu/kvm/BaseKvmCPU.py
index 4c64f24ed..cc0b28fe9 100644
--- a/src/cpu/kvm/BaseKvmCPU.py
+++ b/src/cpu/kvm/BaseKvmCPU.py
@@ -64,7 +64,6 @@ class BaseKvmCPU(BaseCPU):
     def support_take_over(cls):
         return True
 
-    kvmVM = Param.KvmVM(Parent.any, 'KVM VM (i.e., shared memory domain)')
     useCoalescedMMIO = Param.Bool(False, "Use coalesced MMIO (EXPERIMENTAL)")
     usePerfOverflow = Param.Bool(False, "Use perf event overflow counters (EXPERIMENTAL)")
     alwaysSyncTC = Param.Bool(False,
diff --git a/src/cpu/kvm/KvmVM.py b/src/cpu/kvm/KvmVM.py
index 478a91682..cbc92ca0d 100644
--- a/src/cpu/kvm/KvmVM.py
+++ b/src/cpu/kvm/KvmVM.py
@@ -44,6 +44,5 @@ class KvmVM(SimObject):
     type = 'KvmVM'
     cxx_header = "cpu/kvm/vm.hh"
 
-    system = Param.System(Parent.any, "system object")
-
-    coalescedMMIO = VectorParam.AddrRange([], "memory ranges for coalesced MMIO")
+    coalescedMMIO = \
+      VectorParam.AddrRange([], "memory ranges for coalesced MMIO")
diff --git a/src/cpu/kvm/base.cc b/src/cpu/kvm/base.cc
index 723feda44..6ae3c7dff 100644
--- a/src/cpu/kvm/base.cc
+++ b/src/cpu/kvm/base.cc
@@ -64,7 +64,7 @@
 
 BaseKvmCPU::BaseKvmCPU(BaseKvmCPUParams *params)
     : BaseCPU(params),
-      vm(*params->kvmVM),
+      vm(*params->system->getKvmVM()),
       _status(Idle),
       dataPort(name() + ".dcache_port", this),
       instPort(name() + ".icache_port", this),
diff --git a/src/cpu/kvm/vm.cc b/src/cpu/kvm/vm.cc
index d3ab8c45a..604d182ab 100644
--- a/src/cpu/kvm/vm.cc
+++ b/src/cpu/kvm/vm.cc
@@ -292,7 +292,7 @@ Kvm::createVM()
 
 KvmVM::KvmVM(KvmVMParams *params)
     : SimObject(params),
-      kvm(new Kvm()), system(params->system),
+      kvm(new Kvm()), system(nullptr),
       vmFD(kvm->createVM()),
       started(false),
       nextVCPUID(0)
@@ -342,6 +342,7 @@ KvmVM::cpuStartup()
 void
 KvmVM::delayedStartup()
 {
+    assert(system); // set by the system during its construction
     const std::vector<BackingStoreEntry> &memories(
         system->getPhysMem().getBackingStore());
 
@@ -526,6 +527,13 @@ KvmVM::createDevice(uint32_t type, uint32_t flags)
 #endif
 }
 
+void
+KvmVM::setSystem(System *s) {
+    panic_if(system != nullptr, "setSystem() can only be called once");
+    panic_if(s == nullptr, "setSystem() called with null System*");
+    system = s;
+}
+
 int
 KvmVM::createVCPU(long vcpuID)
 {
diff --git a/src/cpu/kvm/vm.hh b/src/cpu/kvm/vm.hh
index 560efb606..dbd46aa3c 100644
--- a/src/cpu/kvm/vm.hh
+++ b/src/cpu/kvm/vm.hh
@@ -400,6 +400,11 @@ class KvmVM : public SimObject
     /** Global KVM interface */
     Kvm *kvm;
 
+    /**
+     * Initialize system pointer. Invoked by system object.
+     */
+    void setSystem(System *s);
+
 #if defined(__aarch64__)
   public: // ARM-specific
     /**
diff --git a/src/sim/System.py b/src/sim/System.py
index 34b1fd127..e3e42d862 100644
--- a/src/sim/System.py
+++ b/src/sim/System.py
@@ -29,6 +29,7 @@
 #          Rick Strong
 
 from m5.SimObject import SimObject
+from m5.defines import buildEnv
 from m5.params import *
 from m5.proxy import *
 
@@ -106,3 +107,6 @@ class System(MemObject):
     # Dynamic voltage and frequency handler for the system, disabled by default
     # Provide list of domains that need to be controlled by the handler
     dvfs_handler = DVFSHandler()
+
+    if buildEnv['USE_KVM']:
+        kvm_vm = Param.KvmVM(NULL, 'KVM VM (i.e., shared memory domain)')
diff --git a/src/sim/system.cc b/src/sim/system.cc
index 09be232a7..9315882b7 100644
--- a/src/sim/system.cc
+++ b/src/sim/system.cc
@@ -53,6 +53,10 @@
 #include "base/loader/symtab.hh"
 #include "base/str.hh"
 #include "base/trace.hh"
+#include "config/use_kvm.hh"
+#if USE_KVM
+#include "cpu/kvm/vm.hh"
+#endif
 #include "cpu/thread_context.hh"
 #include "debug/Loader.hh"
 #include "debug/WorkItems.hh"
@@ -90,6 +94,11 @@ System::System(Params *p)
       kernel(nullptr),
       loadAddrMask(p->load_addr_mask),
       loadAddrOffset(p->load_offset),
+#if USE_KVM
+      kvmVM(p->kvm_vm),
+#else
+      kvmVM(nullptr),
+#endif
       physmem(name() + ".physmem", p->memories, p->mmap_using_noreserve),
       memoryMode(p->mem_mode),
       _cacheLineSize(p->cache_line_size),
@@ -104,6 +113,12 @@ System::System(Params *p)
     // add self to global system list
     systemList.push_back(this);
 
+#if USE_KVM
+    if (kvmVM) {
+        kvmVM->setSystem(this);
+    }
+#endif
+
     if (FullSystem) {
         kernelSymtab = new SymbolTable;
         if (!debugSymbolTable)
diff --git a/src/sim/system.hh b/src/sim/system.hh
index 1bbd37d9d..c3667fe09 100644
--- a/src/sim/system.hh
+++ b/src/sim/system.hh
@@ -72,6 +72,7 @@
 
 class BaseRemoteGDB;
 class GDBListener;
+class KvmVM;
 class ObjectFile;
 class ThreadContext;
 
@@ -249,6 +250,14 @@ class System : public MemObject
     Addr loadAddrOffset;
 
   public:
+    /**
+     * Get a pointer to the Kernel Virtual Machine (KVM) SimObject,
+     * if present.
+     */
+    KvmVM* getKvmVM() {
+        return kvmVM;
+    }
+
     /** Get a pointer to access the physical memory of the system */
     PhysicalMemory& getPhysMem() { return physmem; }
 
@@ -289,6 +298,8 @@ class System : public MemObject
 
   protected:
 
+    KvmVM *const kvmVM;
+
     PhysicalMemory physmem;
 
     Enums::MemoryMode memoryMode;