diff --git a/src/cpu/cpu.c b/src/cpu/cpu.c
index 5b1940b47f..992a0339cc 100644
--- a/src/cpu/cpu.c
+++ b/src/cpu/cpu.c
@@ -712,6 +712,50 @@ virCPUUpdate(virArch arch,
 }
 
 
+/**
+ * virCPUUpdateLive:
+ *
+ * @arch: CPU architecture
+ * @cpu: guest CPU definition to be updated
+ * @dataEnabled: CPU data of the virtual CPU
+ * @dataDisabled: CPU data with features requested by @cpu but disabled by the
+ *                hypervisor
+ *
+ * Update custom mode CPU according to the virtual CPU created by the
+ * hypervisor.
+ *
+ * Returns -1 on error,
+ *          0 when the CPU was successfully updated,
+ *          1 when the operation does not make sense on the CPU or it is not
+ *            supported for the given architecture.
+ */
+int
+virCPUUpdateLive(virArch arch,
+                 virCPUDefPtr cpu,
+                 virCPUDataPtr dataEnabled,
+                 virCPUDataPtr dataDisabled)
+{
+    struct cpuArchDriver *driver;
+
+    VIR_DEBUG("arch=%s, cpu=%p, dataEnabled=%p, dataDisabled=%p",
+              virArchToString(arch), cpu, dataEnabled, dataDisabled);
+
+    if (!(driver = cpuGetSubDriver(arch)))
+        return -1;
+
+    if (!driver->updateLive)
+        return 1;
+
+    if (cpu->mode != VIR_CPU_MODE_CUSTOM)
+        return 1;
+
+    if (driver->updateLive(cpu, dataEnabled, dataDisabled) < 0)
+        return -1;
+
+    return 0;
+}
+
+
 /**
  * virCPUCheckFeature:
  *
diff --git a/src/cpu/cpu.h b/src/cpu/cpu.h
index c329eb1349..7d6d3e9211 100644
--- a/src/cpu/cpu.h
+++ b/src/cpu/cpu.h
@@ -86,6 +86,11 @@ typedef int
 (*virCPUArchUpdate)(virCPUDefPtr guest,
                     const virCPUDef *host);
 
+typedef int
+(*virCPUArchUpdateLive)(virCPUDefPtr cpu,
+                        virCPUDataPtr dataEnabled,
+                        virCPUDataPtr dataDisabled);
+
 typedef int
 (*virCPUArchCheckFeature)(const virCPUDef *cpu,
                           const char *feature);
@@ -122,6 +127,7 @@ struct cpuArchDriver {
     virCPUArchGetHost   getHost;
     cpuArchBaseline     baseline;
     virCPUArchUpdate    update;
+    virCPUArchUpdateLive updateLive;
     virCPUArchCheckFeature checkFeature;
     virCPUArchDataCheckFeature dataCheckFeature;
     virCPUArchDataFormat dataFormat;
@@ -198,6 +204,12 @@ virCPUUpdate(virArch arch,
              const virCPUDef *host)
     ATTRIBUTE_NONNULL(2);
 
+int
+virCPUUpdateLive(virArch arch,
+                 virCPUDefPtr cpu,
+                 virCPUDataPtr dataEnabled,
+                 virCPUDataPtr dataDisabled)
+    ATTRIBUTE_NONNULL(2);
 
 int
 virCPUCheckFeature(virArch arch,
diff --git a/src/cpu/cpu_x86.c b/src/cpu/cpu_x86.c
index 6719acee25..a43bb2bdf2 100644
--- a/src/cpu/cpu_x86.c
+++ b/src/cpu/cpu_x86.c
@@ -2677,6 +2677,64 @@ virCPUx86Update(virCPUDefPtr guest,
 }
 
 
+static int
+virCPUx86UpdateLive(virCPUDefPtr cpu,
+                    virCPUDataPtr dataEnabled,
+                    virCPUDataPtr dataDisabled)
+{
+    virCPUx86MapPtr map;
+    virCPUx86ModelPtr model = NULL;
+    virCPUx86Data enabled = VIR_CPU_X86_DATA_INIT;
+    virCPUx86Data disabled = VIR_CPU_X86_DATA_INIT;
+    size_t i;
+    int ret = -1;
+
+    if (!(map = virCPUx86GetMap()))
+        return -1;
+
+    if (!(model = x86ModelFromCPU(cpu, map, -1)))
+        goto cleanup;
+
+    if (dataEnabled &&
+        x86DataCopy(&enabled, &dataEnabled->data.x86) < 0)
+        goto cleanup;
+
+    if (dataDisabled &&
+        x86DataCopy(&disabled, &dataDisabled->data.x86) < 0)
+        goto cleanup;
+
+    x86DataSubtract(&enabled, &model->data);
+
+    for (i = 0; i < map->nfeatures; i++) {
+        virCPUx86FeaturePtr feature = map->features[i];
+
+        if (x86DataIsSubset(&enabled, &feature->data)) {
+            VIR_DEBUG("Adding feature '%s' enabled by the hypervisor",
+                      feature->name);
+            if (virCPUDefUpdateFeature(cpu, feature->name,
+                                       VIR_CPU_FEATURE_REQUIRE) < 0)
+                goto cleanup;
+        }
+
+        if (x86DataIsSubset(&disabled, &feature->data)) {
+            VIR_DEBUG("Removing feature '%s' disabled by the hypervisor",
+                      feature->name);
+            if (virCPUDefUpdateFeature(cpu, feature->name,
+                                       VIR_CPU_FEATURE_DISABLE) < 0)
+                goto cleanup;
+        }
+    }
+
+    ret = 0;
+
+ cleanup:
+    x86ModelFree(model);
+    virCPUx86DataClear(&enabled);
+    virCPUx86DataClear(&disabled);
+    return ret;
+}
+
+
 static int
 virCPUx86CheckFeature(const virCPUDef *cpu,
                       const char *name)
@@ -2854,6 +2912,7 @@ struct cpuArchDriver cpuDriverX86 = {
 #endif
     .baseline   = x86Baseline,
     .update     = virCPUx86Update,
+    .updateLive = virCPUx86UpdateLive,
     .checkFeature = virCPUx86CheckFeature,
     .dataCheckFeature = virCPUx86DataCheckFeature,
     .dataFormat = virCPUx86DataFormat,
diff --git a/src/libvirt_private.syms b/src/libvirt_private.syms
index 8af5454b40..165d8cb252 100644
--- a/src/libvirt_private.syms
+++ b/src/libvirt_private.syms
@@ -1016,6 +1016,7 @@ virCPUGetHost;
 virCPUGetModels;
 virCPUTranslate;
 virCPUUpdate;
+virCPUUpdateLive;
 
 
 # cpu/cpu_x86.h
diff --git a/src/qemu/qemu_process.c b/src/qemu/qemu_process.c
index db98a2f2ca..780f9587a8 100644
--- a/src/qemu/qemu_process.c
+++ b/src/qemu/qemu_process.c
@@ -3840,12 +3840,13 @@ qemuProcessVerifyCPUFeatures(virDomainDefPtr def,
 
 
 static int
-qemuProcessVerifyGuestCPU(virQEMUDriverPtr driver,
-                          virDomainObjPtr vm,
-                          qemuDomainAsyncJob asyncJob)
+qemuProcessUpdateLiveGuestCPU(virQEMUDriverPtr driver,
+                              virDomainObjPtr vm,
+                              qemuDomainAsyncJob asyncJob)
 {
     virDomainDefPtr def = vm->def;
     virCPUDataPtr cpu = NULL;
+    virCPUDataPtr disabled = NULL;
     qemuDomainObjPrivatePtr priv = vm->privateData;
     int rc;
     int ret = -1;
@@ -3854,7 +3855,7 @@ qemuProcessVerifyGuestCPU(virQEMUDriverPtr driver,
         if (qemuDomainObjEnterMonitorAsync(driver, vm, asyncJob) < 0)
             goto cleanup;
 
-        rc = qemuMonitorGetGuestCPU(priv->mon, def->os.arch, &cpu, NULL);
+        rc = qemuMonitorGetGuestCPU(priv->mon, def->os.arch, &cpu, &disabled);
 
         if (qemuDomainObjExitMonitor(driver, vm) < 0)
             goto cleanup;
@@ -3871,12 +3872,18 @@ qemuProcessVerifyGuestCPU(virQEMUDriverPtr driver,
 
         if (qemuProcessVerifyCPUFeatures(def, cpu) < 0)
             goto cleanup;
+
+        if ((rc = virCPUUpdateLive(def->os.arch, def->cpu, cpu, disabled)) < 0)
+            goto cleanup;
+        else if (rc == 0)
+            def->cpu->check = VIR_CPU_CHECK_FULL;
     }
 
     ret = 0;
 
  cleanup:
     virCPUDataFree(cpu);
+    virCPUDataFree(disabled);
     return ret;
 }
 
@@ -5720,8 +5727,8 @@ qemuProcessLaunch(virConnectPtr conn,
     if (qemuConnectAgent(driver, vm) < 0)
         goto cleanup;
 
-    VIR_DEBUG("Detecting if required emulator features are present");
-    if (qemuProcessVerifyGuestCPU(driver, vm, asyncJob) < 0)
+    VIR_DEBUG("Verifying and updating provided guest CPU");
+    if (qemuProcessUpdateLiveGuestCPU(driver, vm, asyncJob) < 0)
         goto cleanup;
 
     VIR_DEBUG("Setting up post-init cgroup restrictions");