diff --git a/src/cpu/kvm/vm.cc b/src/cpu/kvm/vm.cc
index e0a500c540..13f774e446 100644
--- a/src/cpu/kvm/vm.cc
+++ b/src/cpu/kvm/vm.cc
@@ -53,11 +53,14 @@
 #include "params/KvmVM.hh"
 #include "sim/system.hh"
 
-#define EXPECTED_KVM_API_VERSION 12
+namespace
+{
 
-#if EXPECTED_KVM_API_VERSION != KVM_API_VERSION
-#error Unsupported KVM version
-#endif
+constexpr int ExpectedKvmApiVersion = 12;
+static_assert(KVM_API_VERSION == ExpectedKvmApiVersion,
+        "Unsupported KVM version");
+
+} // anonymous namespace
 
 Kvm *Kvm::instance = NULL;
 
@@ -75,7 +78,7 @@ Kvm::Kvm()
         fatal("KVM: Failed to open /dev/kvm\n");
 
     apiVersion = ioctl(KVM_GET_API_VERSION);
-    if (apiVersion != EXPECTED_KVM_API_VERSION)
+    if (apiVersion != ExpectedKvmApiVersion)
         fatal("KVM: Incompatible API version\n");
 
     vcpuMMapSize = ioctl(KVM_GET_VCPU_MMAP_SIZE);