diff --git a/src/arch/arm/pcstate.hh b/src/arch/arm/pcstate.hh
index 122cd9b584..f2d85d24f3 100644
--- a/src/arch/arm/pcstate.hh
+++ b/src/arch/arm/pcstate.hh
@@ -288,7 +288,7 @@ class PCState : public GenericISA::UPCState<4>
     }
 
     void
-    advance()
+    advance() override
     {
         Base::advance();
         flags = nextFlags;
diff --git a/src/arch/generic/pcstate.hh b/src/arch/generic/pcstate.hh
index 3e7b025363..415e80d826 100644
--- a/src/arch/generic/pcstate.hh
+++ b/src/arch/generic/pcstate.hh
@@ -126,6 +126,8 @@ class PCStateBase : public Serializable
         _upc = 0;
     }
 
+    virtual void advance() = 0;
+
     void
     serialize(CheckpointOut &cp) const override
     {
@@ -370,7 +372,7 @@ class SimplePCState : public PCStateCommon
 
     // Advance the PC.
     void
-    advance()
+    advance() override
     {
         this->_pc = this->_npc;
         this->_npc += InstWidth;
@@ -493,7 +495,7 @@ class DelaySlotPCState : public SimplePCState<InstWidth>
 
     // Advance the PC.
     void
-    advance()
+    advance() override
     {
         this->_pc = this->_npc;
         this->_npc = this->_nnpc;
diff --git a/src/arch/x86/pcstate.hh b/src/arch/x86/pcstate.hh
index 8d74806e81..bfc7d4fa1d 100644
--- a/src/arch/x86/pcstate.hh
+++ b/src/arch/x86/pcstate.hh
@@ -95,7 +95,7 @@ class PCState : public GenericISA::UPCState<8>
     }
 
     void
-    advance()
+    advance() override
     {
         Base::advance();
         _size = 0;
diff --git a/src/cpu/nop_static_inst.cc b/src/cpu/nop_static_inst.cc
index 64b542d87a..aa344819d4 100644
--- a/src/cpu/nop_static_inst.cc
+++ b/src/cpu/nop_static_inst.cc
@@ -50,9 +50,9 @@ class NopStaticInst : public StaticInst
     }
 
     void
-    advancePC(PCStateBase &pcState) const override
+    advancePC(PCStateBase &pc) const override
     {
-        pcState.as<TheISA::PCState>().advance();
+        pc.advance();
     }
 
     std::string
diff --git a/src/sim/syscall_emul.hh b/src/sim/syscall_emul.hh
index 54bd54b5d2..c53175b011 100644
--- a/src/sim/syscall_emul.hh
+++ b/src/sim/syscall_emul.hh
@@ -1662,7 +1662,7 @@ cloneFunc(SyscallDesc *desc, ThreadContext *tc, RegVal flags, RegVal newStack,
     desc->returnInto(ctc, 0);
 
     std::unique_ptr<PCStateBase> cpc(tc->pcState().clone());
-    cpc->as<TheISA::PCState>().advance();
+    cpc->advance();
     ctc->pcState(*cpc);
     ctc->activate();
 
@@ -2226,7 +2226,7 @@ execveFunc(SyscallDesc *desc, ThreadContext *tc,
     new_p->initState();
     tc->activate();
     std::unique_ptr<PCStateBase> pc_state(tc->pcState().clone());
-    pc_state->as<TheISA::PCState>().advance();
+    pc_state->advance();
     tc->pcState(*pc_state);
 
     return SyscallReturn();