diff --git a/hw/vfio/pci.c b/hw/vfio/pci.c
index 9872884ff8a..e83252766d1 100644
--- a/hw/vfio/pci.c
+++ b/hw/vfio/pci.c
@@ -19,7 +19,6 @@
  */
 
 #include "qemu/osdep.h"
-#include CONFIG_DEVICES /* CONFIG_IOMMUFD */
 #include <linux/vfio.h>
 #include <sys/ioctl.h>
 
@@ -2973,11 +2972,10 @@ static void vfio_realize(PCIDevice *pdev, Error **errp)
         if (!(~vdev->host.domain || ~vdev->host.bus ||
               ~vdev->host.slot || ~vdev->host.function)) {
             error_setg(errp, "No provided host device");
-            error_append_hint(errp, "Use -device vfio-pci,host=DDDD:BB:DD.F "
-#ifdef CONFIG_IOMMUFD
-                              "or -device vfio-pci,fd=DEVICE_FD "
-#endif
-                              "or -device vfio-pci,sysfsdev=PATH_TO_DEVICE\n");
+            error_append_hint(errp, "Use -device vfio-pci,host=DDDD:BB:DD.F %s"
+                              "or -device vfio-pci,sysfsdev=PATH_TO_DEVICE\n",
+                              iommufd_builtin()
+                              ? "or -device vfio-pci,fd=DEVICE_FD " : "");
             return;
         }
         vbasedev->sysfsdev =
@@ -3412,19 +3410,18 @@ static const Property vfio_pci_dev_properties[] = {
                                    qdev_prop_nv_gpudirect_clique, uint8_t),
     DEFINE_PROP_OFF_AUTO_PCIBAR("x-msix-relocation", VFIOPCIDevice, msix_relo,
                                 OFF_AUTO_PCIBAR_OFF),
-#ifdef CONFIG_IOMMUFD
-    DEFINE_PROP_LINK("iommufd", VFIOPCIDevice, vbasedev.iommufd,
-                     TYPE_IOMMUFD_BACKEND, IOMMUFDBackend *),
-#endif
     DEFINE_PROP_BOOL("skip-vsc-check", VFIOPCIDevice, skip_vsc_check, true),
 };
 
-#ifdef CONFIG_IOMMUFD
+static const Property vfio_pci_dev_iommufd_properties[] = {
+    DEFINE_PROP_LINK("iommufd", VFIOPCIDevice, vbasedev.iommufd,
+                     TYPE_IOMMUFD_BACKEND, IOMMUFDBackend *),
+};
+
 static void vfio_pci_set_fd(Object *obj, const char *str, Error **errp)
 {
     vfio_device_set_fd(&VFIO_PCI(obj)->vbasedev, str, errp);
 }
-#endif
 
 static void vfio_pci_dev_class_init(ObjectClass *klass, void *data)
 {
@@ -3433,9 +3430,10 @@ static void vfio_pci_dev_class_init(ObjectClass *klass, void *data)
 
     device_class_set_legacy_reset(dc, vfio_pci_reset);
     device_class_set_props(dc, vfio_pci_dev_properties);
-#ifdef CONFIG_IOMMUFD
-    object_class_property_add_str(klass, "fd", NULL, vfio_pci_set_fd);
-#endif
+    if (iommufd_builtin()) {
+        device_class_set_props(dc, vfio_pci_dev_iommufd_properties);
+        object_class_property_add_str(klass, "fd", NULL, vfio_pci_set_fd);
+    }
     dc->desc = "VFIO-based PCI device assignment";
     set_bit(DEVICE_CATEGORY_MISC, dc->categories);
     pdc->realize = vfio_realize;
@@ -3540,11 +3538,11 @@ static void vfio_pci_dev_class_init(ObjectClass *klass, void *data)
                                           "vf-token",
                                           "Specify UUID VF token. Required for VF when PF is owned "
                                           "by another VFIO driver");
-#ifdef CONFIG_IOMMUFD
-    object_class_property_set_description(klass, /* 9.0 */
-                                          "iommufd",
-                                          "Set host IOMMUFD backend device");
-#endif
+    if (iommufd_builtin()) {
+        object_class_property_set_description(klass, /* 9.0 */
+                                              "iommufd",
+                                              "Set host IOMMUFD backend device");
+    }
     object_class_property_set_description(klass, /* 9.1 */
                                           "x-device-dirty-page-tracking",
                                           "Disable device dirty page tracking and use "
diff --git a/hw/vfio/meson.build b/hw/vfio/meson.build
index 96e342aa8cb..9a004992c11 100644
--- a/hw/vfio/meson.build
+++ b/hw/vfio/meson.build
@@ -6,7 +6,6 @@ vfio_ss.add(files(
 vfio_ss.add(when: 'CONFIG_PSERIES', if_true: files('spapr.c'))
 vfio_ss.add(when: 'CONFIG_VFIO_PCI', if_true: files(
   'pci-quirks.c',
-  'pci.c',
 ))
 vfio_ss.add(when: 'CONFIG_VFIO_CCW', if_true: files('ccw.c'))
 vfio_ss.add(when: 'CONFIG_VFIO_PLATFORM', if_true: files('platform.c'))
@@ -29,4 +28,5 @@ system_ss.add(when: ['CONFIG_VFIO', 'CONFIG_IOMMUFD'], if_true: files(
 ))
 system_ss.add(when: 'CONFIG_VFIO_PCI', if_true: files(
   'display.c',
+  'pci.c',
 ))
