diff --git a/hw/acpi/cpu.c b/hw/acpi/cpu.c
index 23443f09a5..7b0badd08a 100644
--- a/hw/acpi/cpu.c
+++ b/hw/acpi/cpu.c
@@ -23,6 +23,8 @@ enum {
     CPHP_CMD_MAX
 };
 
+static bool always_present_cpus;
+
 static ACPIOSTInfo *acpi_cpu_device_status(int idx, AcpiCpuStatus *cdev)
 {
     ACPIOSTInfo *info = g_new0(ACPIOSTInfo, 1);
@@ -79,7 +81,6 @@ static uint64_t cpu_hotplug_rd(void *opaque, hwaddr addr, unsigned size)
         val |= cdev->is_inserting ? 2 : 0;
         val |= cdev->is_removing  ? 4 : 0;
         val |= cdev->fw_remove  ? 16 : 0;
-        val |= cdev->cpu ? 32 : 0;
         trace_cpuhp_acpi_read_flags(cpu_st->selector, val);
         break;
     case ACPI_CPU_CMD_DATA_OFFSET_RW:
@@ -246,15 +247,9 @@ void cpu_hotplug_hw_init(MemoryRegion *as, Object *owner,
     memory_region_add_subregion(as, base_addr, &state->ctrl_reg);
 }
 
-static bool should_remain_acpi_present(DeviceState *dev)
+static inline bool should_remain_acpi_present(DeviceState *dev)
 {
-    CPUClass *k = CPU_GET_CLASS(dev);
-    /*
-     * A system may contain CPUs that are always present on one die, NUMA node,
-     * or socket, yet may be non-present on another simultaneously. Check from
-     * architecture specific code.
-     */
-    return k->cpu_persistent_status && k->cpu_persistent_status(CPU(dev));
+    return always_present_cpus;
 }
 
 static AcpiCpuStatus *get_cpu_status(CPUHotplugState *cpu_st, DeviceState *dev)
@@ -362,7 +357,6 @@ const VMStateDescription vmstate_cpu_hotplug = {
 #define CPU_REMOVE_EVENT  "CRMV"
 #define CPU_EJECT_EVENT   "CEJ0"
 #define CPU_FW_EJECT_EVENT "CEJF"
-#define CPU_PRESENT       "CPRS"
 
 void build_cpus_aml(Aml *table, MachineState *machine, CPUHotplugFeatures opts,
                     build_madt_cpu_fn build_madt_cpu, hwaddr base_addr,
@@ -423,9 +417,7 @@ void build_cpus_aml(Aml *table, MachineState *machine, CPUHotplugFeatures opts,
         aml_append(field, aml_named_field(CPU_EJECT_EVENT, 1));
         /* tell firmware to do device eject, write only */
         aml_append(field, aml_named_field(CPU_FW_EJECT_EVENT, 1));
-        /* 1 if present, read only */
-        aml_append(field, aml_named_field(CPU_PRESENT, 1));
-        aml_append(field, aml_reserved_field(2));
+        aml_append(field, aml_reserved_field(3));
         aml_append(field, aml_named_field(CPU_COMMAND, 8));
         aml_append(cpu_ctrl_dev, field);
 
@@ -455,7 +447,6 @@ void build_cpus_aml(Aml *table, MachineState *machine, CPUHotplugFeatures opts,
         Aml *ctrl_lock = aml_name("%s.%s", cphp_res_path, CPU_LOCK);
         Aml *cpu_selector = aml_name("%s.%s", cphp_res_path, CPU_SELECTOR);
         Aml *is_enabled = aml_name("%s.%s", cphp_res_path, CPU_ENABLED);
-        Aml *is_present = aml_name("%s.%s", cphp_res_path, CPU_PRESENT);
         Aml *cpu_cmd = aml_name("%s.%s", cphp_res_path, CPU_COMMAND);
         Aml *cpu_data = aml_name("%s.%s", cphp_res_path, CPU_DATA);
         Aml *ins_evt = aml_name("%s.%s", cphp_res_path, CPU_INSERT_EVENT);
@@ -482,28 +473,24 @@ void build_cpus_aml(Aml *table, MachineState *machine, CPUHotplugFeatures opts,
 
         method = aml_method(CPU_STS_METHOD, 1, AML_SERIALIZED);
         {
-            Aml *idx = aml_arg(0);
+            Aml *default_sta = aml_int(opts.always_present_cpus ? 0xD : 0);
             Aml *sta = aml_local(0);
-            Aml *ifctx2;
-            Aml *else_ctx;
+            Aml *idx = aml_arg(0);
+
+            always_present_cpus = opts.always_present_cpus;
 
             aml_append(method, aml_acquire(ctrl_lock, 0xFFFF));
             aml_append(method, aml_store(idx, cpu_selector));
-            aml_append(method, aml_store(zero, sta));
-            ifctx = aml_if(aml_equal(is_present, one));
+            /*
+             * Default case:
+             * _STA(0xD) = cpu is present and disabled OR
+             * _STA(0x0) = cpu is not present (and hence disabled)
+             */
+            aml_append(method, aml_store(default_sta, sta));
+            ifctx = aml_if(aml_equal(is_enabled, one));
             {
-                ifctx2 = aml_if(aml_equal(is_enabled, one));
-                {
-                    /* cpu is present and enabled */
-                    aml_append(ifctx2, aml_store(aml_int(0xF), sta));
-                }
-                aml_append(ifctx, ifctx2);
-                else_ctx = aml_else();
-                {
-                    /* cpu is present but disabled */
-                    aml_append(else_ctx, aml_store(aml_int(0xD), sta));
-                }
-                aml_append(ifctx, else_ctx);
+                /* _STA(0xF) = cpu is present and enabled */
+                aml_append(ifctx, aml_or(aml_int(0xF), sta, sta));
             }
             aml_append(method, ifctx);
             aml_append(method, aml_release(ctrl_lock));
diff --git a/include/hw/acpi/cpu.h b/include/hw/acpi/cpu.h
index 32654dc274..4a3e591120 100644
--- a/include/hw/acpi/cpu.h
+++ b/include/hw/acpi/cpu.h
@@ -55,6 +55,7 @@ void cpu_hotplug_hw_init(MemoryRegion *as, Object *owner,
 typedef struct CPUHotplugFeatures {
     bool acpi_1_compatible;
     bool has_legacy_cphp;
+    bool always_present_cpus;
     bool fw_unplugs_cpu;
     const char *smi_path;
 } CPUHotplugFeatures;
diff --git a/include/hw/core/cpu.h b/include/hw/core/cpu.h
index db8a6fbc6e..e936b67675 100644
--- a/include/hw/core/cpu.h
+++ b/include/hw/core/cpu.h
@@ -158,7 +158,6 @@ struct CPUClass {
     void (*dump_state)(CPUState *cpu, FILE *, int flags);
     void (*query_cpu_fast)(CPUState *cpu, CpuInfoFast *value);
     int64_t (*get_arch_id)(CPUState *cpu);
-    bool (*cpu_persistent_status)(CPUState *cpu);
     bool (*cpu_enabled_status)(CPUState *cpu);
     void (*set_pc)(CPUState *cpu, vaddr value);
     vaddr (*get_pc)(CPUState *cpu);
