diff --git a/exec.c b/exec.c
index 0a6dd2e..a3dfd1d 100644
--- a/exec.c
+++ b/exec.c
@@ -749,6 +749,18 @@
                              uint16_t section);
 static subpage_t *subpage_init(AddressSpace *as, hwaddr base);
 
+static void *(*phys_mem_alloc)(ram_addr_t size) = qemu_anon_ram_alloc;
+
+/*
+ * Set a custom physical guest memory alloator.
+ * Accelerators with unusual needs may need this.  Hopefully, we can
+ * get rid of it eventually.
+ */
+void phys_mem_set_alloc(void *(*alloc)(ram_addr_t))
+{
+    phys_mem_alloc = alloc;
+}
+
 static uint16_t phys_section_add(MemoryRegionSection *section)
 {
     /* The physical section number is ORed with a page-aligned
@@ -1124,12 +1136,7 @@
 #endif
         }
         if (!new_block->host) {
-            if (kvm_enabled()) {
-                /* some s390/kvm configurations have special constraints */
-                new_block->host = kvm_ram_alloc(size);
-            } else {
-                new_block->host = qemu_anon_ram_alloc(size);
-            }
+            new_block->host = phys_mem_alloc(size);
             memory_try_enable_merging(new_block->host, size);
         }
     }
diff --git a/include/exec/exec-all.h b/include/exec/exec-all.h
index beb4149..77242e2 100644
--- a/include/exec/exec-all.h
+++ b/include/exec/exec-all.h
@@ -368,6 +368,8 @@
 
 #if !defined(CONFIG_USER_ONLY)
 
+void phys_mem_set_alloc(void *(*alloc)(ram_addr_t));
+
 struct MemoryRegion *iotlb_to_region(hwaddr index);
 bool io_mem_read(struct MemoryRegion *mr, hwaddr addr,
                  uint64_t *pvalue, unsigned size);
diff --git a/include/sysemu/kvm.h b/include/sysemu/kvm.h
index 8e76685..9bbe3db 100644
--- a/include/sysemu/kvm.h
+++ b/include/sysemu/kvm.h
@@ -161,11 +161,6 @@
 
 #ifdef NEED_CPU_H
 
-#if !defined(CONFIG_USER_ONLY)
-void *kvm_ram_alloc(ram_addr_t size);
-void *kvm_arch_ram_alloc(ram_addr_t size);
-#endif
-
 void kvm_setup_guest_memory(void *start, size_t size);
 void kvm_flush_coalesced_mmio_buffer(void);
 
diff --git a/kvm-all.c b/kvm-all.c
index c29a015..b87215c 100644
--- a/kvm-all.c
+++ b/kvm-all.c
@@ -1812,19 +1812,6 @@
     return kvm_state->intx_set_mask;
 }
 
-void *kvm_ram_alloc(ram_addr_t size)
-{
-#ifdef TARGET_S390X
-    void *mem;
-
-    mem = kvm_arch_ram_alloc(size);
-    if (mem) {
-        return mem;
-    }
-#endif
-    return qemu_anon_ram_alloc(size);
-}
-
 void kvm_setup_guest_memory(void *start, size_t size)
 {
 #ifdef CONFIG_VALGRIND_H
diff --git a/target-s390x/kvm.c b/target-s390x/kvm.c
index 185c8f5..0b75164 100644
--- a/target-s390x/kvm.c
+++ b/target-s390x/kvm.c
@@ -93,9 +93,15 @@
 
 static int cap_sync_regs;
 
+static void *legacy_s390_alloc(ram_addr_t size);
+
 int kvm_arch_init(KVMState *s)
 {
     cap_sync_regs = kvm_check_extension(s, KVM_CAP_SYNC_REGS);
+    if (!kvm_check_extension(s, KVM_CAP_S390_GMAP)
+        || !kvm_check_extension(s, KVM_CAP_S390_COW)) {
+        phys_mem_set_alloc(legacy_s390_alloc);
+    }
     return 0;
 }
 
@@ -333,17 +339,6 @@
     return mem;
 }
 
-void *kvm_arch_ram_alloc(ram_addr_t size)
-{
-    /* Can we use the standard allocation ? */
-    if (kvm_check_extension(kvm_state, KVM_CAP_S390_GMAP) &&
-        kvm_check_extension(kvm_state, KVM_CAP_S390_COW)) {
-        return NULL;
-    } else {
-        return legacy_s390_alloc(size);
-    }
-}
-
 int kvm_arch_insert_sw_breakpoint(CPUState *cs, struct kvm_sw_breakpoint *bp)
 {
     static const uint8_t diag_501[] = {0x83, 0x24, 0x05, 0x01};