diff --git a/src/arch/x86/isa.cc b/src/arch/x86/isa.cc
index fd3e21273f..89b4328d66 100644
--- a/src/arch/x86/isa.cc
+++ b/src/arch/x86/isa.cc
@@ -244,6 +244,10 @@ ISA::readMiscReg(RegIndex idx)
         return base;
     }
 
+    if (idx == misc_reg::Xcr0) {
+        return regVal[idx] | 1;
+    }
+
     return readMiscRegNoEffect(idx);
 }
 
diff --git a/src/arch/x86/kvm/x86_cpu.cc b/src/arch/x86/kvm/x86_cpu.cc
index 67df843000..a863ed79a2 100644
--- a/src/arch/x86/kvm/x86_cpu.cc
+++ b/src/arch/x86/kvm/x86_cpu.cc
@@ -1000,17 +1000,19 @@ X86KvmCPU::updateKvmStateMSRs()
 void
 X86KvmCPU::updateKvmStateXCRs()
 {
-    struct kvm_xcrs xcrs;
+    if (haveXCRs) {
+        struct kvm_xcrs xcrs;
 
-    xcrs.nr_xcrs = NumXCRegs;
-    xcrs.flags = 0;
+        xcrs.nr_xcrs = NumXCRegs;
+        xcrs.flags = 0;
 
-    for (int i = 0; i < xcrs.nr_xcrs; ++i) {
-        xcrs.xcrs[i].xcr = i;
-        xcrs.xcrs[i].value = tc->readMiscReg(misc_reg::xcr(i));
+        for (int i = 0; i < xcrs.nr_xcrs; ++i) {
+            xcrs.xcrs[i].xcr = i;
+            xcrs.xcrs[i].value = tc->readMiscReg(misc_reg::xcr(i));
+        }
+
+        setXCRs(xcrs);
     }
-
-    setXCRs(xcrs);
 }
 
 void
@@ -1210,12 +1212,15 @@ X86KvmCPU::updateThreadContextMSRs()
 void
 X86KvmCPU::updateThreadContextXCRs()
 {
-    struct kvm_xcrs xcrs;
+    if (haveXCRs) {
+        struct kvm_xcrs xcrs;
 
-    getXCRs(xcrs);
+        getXCRs(xcrs);
 
-    for (int i = 0; i < xcrs.nr_xcrs; ++i) {
-        tc->setMiscReg(misc_reg::xcr(xcrs.xcrs[i].xcr), xcrs.xcrs[i].value);
+        for (int i = 0; i < xcrs.nr_xcrs; ++i) {
+            tc->setMiscReg(misc_reg::xcr(xcrs.xcrs[i].xcr),
+                           xcrs.xcrs[i].value);
+        }
     }
 }