diff --git a/configs/devices/ppc-softmmu/default.mak b/configs/devices/ppc-softmmu/default.mak
index 3061b26749a..460d15e676b 100644
--- a/configs/devices/ppc-softmmu/default.mak
+++ b/configs/devices/ppc-softmmu/default.mak
@@ -4,22 +4,24 @@
 # CONFIG_PCI_DEVICES=n
 # CONFIG_TEST_DEVICES=n
 
-# For embedded PPCs:
-CONFIG_E500PLAT=y
-CONFIG_MPC8544DS=y
-CONFIG_PPC405=y
-CONFIG_PPC440=y
-CONFIG_VIRTEX=y
+# Boards are selected by default, uncomment to keep out of the build.
+
+# Embedded PPCs:
+# CONFIG_E500PLAT=n
+# CONFIG_MPC8544DS=n
+# CONFIG_PPC405=n
+# CONFIG_PPC440=n
+# CONFIG_VIRTEX=n
 
 # For Sam460ex
-CONFIG_SAM460EX=y
+# CONFIG_SAM460EX=n
 
 # For Macs
-CONFIG_MAC_OLDWORLD=y
-CONFIG_MAC_NEWWORLD=y
+# CONFIG_MAC_OLDWORLD=n
+# CONFIG_MAC_NEWWORLD=n
 
-CONFIG_AMIGAONE=y
-CONFIG_PEGASOS2=y
+# CONFIG_AMIGAONE=n
+# CONFIG_PEGASOS2=n
 
 # For PReP
-CONFIG_PREP=y
+# CONFIG_PREP=n
diff --git a/configs/devices/ppc64-softmmu/default.mak b/configs/devices/ppc64-softmmu/default.mak
index b90e5bf4558..e8ad2603133 100644
--- a/configs/devices/ppc64-softmmu/default.mak
+++ b/configs/devices/ppc64-softmmu/default.mak
@@ -3,8 +3,6 @@
 # Include all 32-bit boards
 include ../ppc-softmmu/default.mak
 
-# For PowerNV
-CONFIG_POWERNV=y
-
-# For pSeries
-CONFIG_PSERIES=y
+# Boards are selected by default, uncomment to keep out of the build.
+# CONFIG_POWERNV=n
+# CONFIG_PSERIES=n
diff --git a/.gitlab-ci.d/buildtest.yml b/.gitlab-ci.d/buildtest.yml
index 49cd50c354d..a5f4b4d3793 100644
--- a/.gitlab-ci.d/buildtest.yml
+++ b/.gitlab-ci.d/buildtest.yml
@@ -649,7 +649,7 @@ build-tci:
 
 # Check our reduced build configurations
 # requires libfdt: aarch64, arm, i386, loongarch64, microblaze, microblazeel,
-#   mips64el, or1k, x86_64
+#   mips64el, or1k, ppc, ppc64, x86_64
 # does not build without boards: i386, loongarch64, x86_64
 build-without-defaults:
   extends: .native_build_job_template
diff --git a/hw/ppc/Kconfig b/hw/ppc/Kconfig
index 37ccf9cdcaf..78f83e78ce5 100644
--- a/hw/ppc/Kconfig
+++ b/hw/ppc/Kconfig
@@ -1,5 +1,7 @@
 config PSERIES
     bool
+    default y
+    depends on PPC64
     imply USB_OHCI_PCI
     imply PCI_DEVICES
     imply TEST_DEVICES
@@ -23,6 +25,8 @@ config SPAPR_RNG
 
 config POWERNV
     bool
+    default y
+    depends on PPC64
     imply PCI_DEVICES
     imply TEST_DEVICES
     select ISA_IPMI_BT
@@ -38,6 +42,8 @@ config POWERNV
 
 config PPC405
     bool
+    default y
+    depends on PPC
     select M48T59
     select PFLASH_CFI02
     select PPC4XX
@@ -45,6 +51,8 @@ config PPC405
 
 config PPC440
     bool
+    default y
+    depends on PPC
     imply PCI_DEVICES
     imply TEST_DEVICES
     imply E1000_PCI
@@ -62,6 +70,8 @@ config PPC4XX
 
 config SAM460EX
     bool
+    default y
+    depends on PPC
     select PFLASH_CFI01
     select IDE_SII3112
     select M41T80
@@ -75,6 +85,8 @@ config SAM460EX
 
 config AMIGAONE
     bool
+    default y
+    depends on PPC
     imply ATI_VGA
     select ARTICIA
     select VT82C686
@@ -82,6 +94,8 @@ config AMIGAONE
 
 config PEGASOS2
     bool
+    default y
+    depends on PPC
     imply ATI_VGA
     select MV64361
     select VT82C686
@@ -90,6 +104,8 @@ config PEGASOS2
 
 config PREP
     bool
+    default y
+    depends on PPC
     imply PCI_DEVICES
     imply TEST_DEVICES
     select CS4231A
@@ -106,6 +122,8 @@ config RS6000_MC
 
 config MAC_OLDWORLD
     bool
+    default y
+    depends on PPC
     imply PCI_DEVICES
     imply SUNGEM
     imply TEST_DEVICES
@@ -117,6 +135,8 @@ config MAC_OLDWORLD
 
 config MAC_NEWWORLD
     bool
+    default y
+    depends on PPC
     imply PCI_DEVICES
     imply SUNGEM
     imply TEST_DEVICES
@@ -147,14 +167,20 @@ config E500
 
 config E500PLAT
     bool
+    default y
+    depends on PPC
     select E500
 
 config MPC8544DS
     bool
+    default y
+    depends on PPC
     select E500
 
 config VIRTEX
     bool
+    default y
+    depends on PPC
     select PPC4XX
     select PFLASH_CFI01
     select SERIAL
diff --git a/target/ppc/Kconfig b/target/ppc/Kconfig
index 3ff152051a3..0283711673e 100644
--- a/target/ppc/Kconfig
+++ b/target/ppc/Kconfig
@@ -3,3 +3,4 @@ config PPC
 
 config PPC64
     bool
+    select PPC
