diff --git a/src/cpu/cpu_x86.c b/src/cpu/cpu_x86.c
index b2398c5ad2..38cab15c59 100644
--- a/src/cpu/cpu_x86.c
+++ b/src/cpu/cpu_x86.c
@@ -154,7 +154,6 @@ struct _virCPUx86Map {
 };
 
 static virCPUx86MapPtr cpuMap;
-static unsigned int microcodeVersion;
 
 int virCPUx86DriverOnceInit(void);
 VIR_ONCE_GLOBAL_INIT(virCPUx86Driver);
@@ -1413,8 +1412,6 @@ virCPUx86DriverOnceInit(void)
     if (!(cpuMap = virCPUx86LoadMap()))
         return -1;
 
-    microcodeVersion = virHostCPUGetMicrocodeVersion();
-
     return 0;
 }
 
@@ -2454,7 +2451,7 @@ virCPUx86GetHost(virCPUDefPtr cpu,
         goto cleanup;
 
     ret = x86DecodeCPUData(cpu, cpuData, models);
-    cpu->microcodeVersion = microcodeVersion;
+    cpu->microcodeVersion = virHostCPUGetMicrocodeVersion();
 
  cleanup:
     virCPUx86DataFree(cpuData);