diff --git a/include/qemu-common.h b/include/qemu-common.h
index 2b83de395c4037b06f74c9ec61963c40a06a1667..ca464bb3679cdb5ade8b5188c754b4fd3d78ce97 100644
--- a/include/qemu-common.h
+++ b/include/qemu-common.h
@@ -288,7 +288,9 @@ struct qemu_work_item {
 };
 
 #ifdef CONFIG_USER_ONLY
-#define qemu_init_vcpu(env) do { } while (0)
+static inline void qemu_init_vcpu(void *env)
+{
+}
 #else
 void qemu_init_vcpu(void *env);
 #endif
diff --git a/target-alpha/cpu.c b/target-alpha/cpu.c
index 212a6250bae100d25a08ed59c4d1205901a5d14d..40e980933f6d7655647b252d12c871304b153b01 100644
--- a/target-alpha/cpu.c
+++ b/target-alpha/cpu.c
@@ -26,11 +26,9 @@
 
 static void alpha_cpu_realize(Object *obj, Error **errp)
 {
-#ifndef CONFIG_USER_ONLY
     AlphaCPU *cpu = ALPHA_CPU(obj);
 
     qemu_init_vcpu(&cpu->env);
-#endif
 }
 
 /* Sort alphabetically by type name. */