diff --git a/hw/arm/armsse.c b/hw/arm/armsse.c
index 31acbf7347..4672df180f 100644
--- a/hw/arm/armsse.c
+++ b/hw/arm/armsse.c
@@ -1022,10 +1022,8 @@ static void armsse_realize(DeviceState *dev, Error **errp)
          * later if necessary.
          */
         if (extract32(info->cpuwait_rst, i, 1)) {
-            if (!object_property_set_bool(cpuobj, "start-powered-off", true,
-                                          errp)) {
-                return;
-            }
+            object_property_set_bool(cpuobj, "start-powered-off", true,
+                                     &error_abort);
         }
         if (!s->cpu_fpu[i]) {
             if (!object_property_set_bool(cpuobj, "vfp", false, errp)) {
diff --git a/hw/arm/armv7m.c b/hw/arm/armv7m.c
index d10abb36a8..cbaebe9bf8 100644
--- a/hw/arm/armv7m.c
+++ b/hw/arm/armv7m.c
@@ -318,12 +318,6 @@ static void armv7m_realize(DeviceState *dev, Error **errp)
             return;
         }
     }
-    if (object_property_find(OBJECT(s->cpu), "start-powered-off")) {
-        if (!object_property_set_bool(OBJECT(s->cpu), "start-powered-off",
-                                      s->start_powered_off, errp)) {
-            return;
-        }
-    }
     if (object_property_find(OBJECT(s->cpu), "vfp")) {
         if (!object_property_set_bool(OBJECT(s->cpu), "vfp", s->vfp, errp)) {
             return;
@@ -334,6 +328,8 @@ static void armv7m_realize(DeviceState *dev, Error **errp)
             return;
         }
     }
+    object_property_set_bool(OBJECT(s->cpu), "start-powered-off",
+                             s->start_powered_off, &error_abort);
 
     /*
      * Real M-profile hardware can be configured with a different number of
diff --git a/hw/arm/bcm2836.c b/hw/arm/bcm2836.c
index 289c30e6b6..b0674a22a6 100644
--- a/hw/arm/bcm2836.c
+++ b/hw/arm/bcm2836.c
@@ -135,12 +135,8 @@ static void bcm2836_realize(DeviceState *dev, Error **errp)
                                 bc->peri_base, &error_abort);
 
         /* start powered off if not enabled */
-        if (!object_property_set_bool(OBJECT(&s->cpu[n].core),
-                                      "start-powered-off",
-                                      n >= s->enabled_cpus,
-                                      errp)) {
-            return;
-        }
+        object_property_set_bool(OBJECT(&s->cpu[n].core), "start-powered-off",
+                                 n >= s->enabled_cpus, &error_abort);
 
         if (!qdev_realize(DEVICE(&s->cpu[n].core), NULL, errp)) {
             return;
diff --git a/hw/mips/cps.c b/hw/mips/cps.c
index b6612c1762..4f12e23ab5 100644
--- a/hw/mips/cps.c
+++ b/hw/mips/cps.c
@@ -78,10 +78,9 @@ static void mips_cps_realize(DeviceState *dev, Error **errp)
         CPUMIPSState *env = &cpu->env;
 
         /* All VPs are halted on reset. Leave powering up to CPC. */
-        if (!object_property_set_bool(OBJECT(cpu), "start-powered-off", true,
-                                      errp)) {
-            return;
-        }
+        object_property_set_bool(OBJECT(cpu), "start-powered-off", true,
+                                 &error_abort);
+
         /* All cores use the same clock tree */
         qdev_connect_clock_in(DEVICE(cpu), "clk-in", s->clock);
 
diff --git a/hw/ppc/e500.c b/hw/ppc/e500.c
index 384226296b..566f1200dd 100644
--- a/hw/ppc/e500.c
+++ b/hw/ppc/e500.c
@@ -955,7 +955,7 @@ void ppce500_init(MachineState *machine)
          * when implementing non-kernel boot.
          */
         object_property_set_bool(OBJECT(cs), "start-powered-off", i != 0,
-                                 &error_fatal);
+                                 &error_abort);
         qdev_realize_and_unref(DEVICE(cs), NULL, &error_fatal);
 
         if (!firstenv) {
diff --git a/hw/sparc/sun4m.c b/hw/sparc/sun4m.c
index 17bf5f2879..64895aebe3 100644
--- a/hw/sparc/sun4m.c
+++ b/hw/sparc/sun4m.c
@@ -804,7 +804,7 @@ static void cpu_devinit(const char *cpu_type, unsigned int id,
 
     qemu_register_reset(sun4m_cpu_reset, cpu);
     object_property_set_bool(OBJECT(cpu), "start-powered-off", id != 0,
-                             &error_fatal);
+                             &error_abort);
     qdev_realize_and_unref(DEVICE(cpu), NULL, &error_fatal);
     cpu_sparc_set_id(env, id);
     *cpu_irqs = qemu_allocate_irqs(cpu_set_irq, cpu, MAX_PILS);
