diff --git a/src/qemu/qemu_capabilities.c b/src/qemu/qemu_capabilities.c
index fe0f2f1c4d..4c1f6d11ed 100644
--- a/src/qemu/qemu_capabilities.c
+++ b/src/qemu/qemu_capabilities.c
@@ -110,7 +110,7 @@ VIR_ENUM_IMPL(virQEMUCaps,
               /* 30 */
               "vhost-net", /* X_QEMU_CAPS_VHOST_NET */
               "rtc-td-hack", /* X_QEMU_CAPS_RTC_TD_HACK */
-              "no-hpet", /* QEMU_CAPS_NO_HPET */
+              "no-hpet", /* X_QEMU_CAPS_NO_HPET */
               "no-kvm-pit", /* X_QEMU_CAPS_NO_KVM_PIT */
               "tdf", /* X_QEMU_CAPS_TDF */
 
@@ -5473,12 +5473,6 @@ void
 virQEMUCapsInitQMPBasicArch(virQEMUCaps *qemuCaps)
 {
     switch (qemuCaps->arch) {
-    case VIR_ARCH_I686:
-    case VIR_ARCH_X86_64:
-        /* HPET is x86 specific */
-        virQEMUCapsSet(qemuCaps, QEMU_CAPS_NO_HPET);
-        break;
-
     case VIR_ARCH_AARCH64:
         /* gic is arm specific */
         virQEMUCapsSet(qemuCaps, QEMU_CAPS_MACH_VIRT_GIC_VERSION);
@@ -5491,6 +5485,8 @@ virQEMUCapsInitQMPBasicArch(virQEMUCaps *qemuCaps)
         virQEMUCapsSet(qemuCaps, QEMU_CAPS_LOADPARM);
         break;
 
+    case VIR_ARCH_I686:
+    case VIR_ARCH_X86_64:
     case VIR_ARCH_ALPHA:
     case VIR_ARCH_PPC:
     case VIR_ARCH_PPCEMB:
@@ -5568,11 +5564,6 @@ virQEMUCapsInitProcessCapsInterlock(virQEMUCaps *qemuCaps)
      * on a not entirely related witness. */
     if (virQEMUCapsGet(qemuCaps, QEMU_CAPS_OBJECT_JSON))
         virQEMUCapsSet(qemuCaps, QEMU_CAPS_COMPAT_DEPRECATED);
-
-    /* Modern-style config of the HPET timer overrides support for the '-no-hpet'
-     * option */
-    if (virQEMUCapsGet(qemuCaps, QEMU_CAPS_MACHINE_HPET))
-        virQEMUCapsClear(qemuCaps, QEMU_CAPS_NO_HPET);
 }
 
 
diff --git a/src/qemu/qemu_capabilities.h b/src/qemu/qemu_capabilities.h
index 0110174fea..2bb7f1d87d 100644
--- a/src/qemu/qemu_capabilities.h
+++ b/src/qemu/qemu_capabilities.h
@@ -88,7 +88,7 @@ typedef enum { /* virQEMUCapsFlags grouping marker for syntax-check */
     /* 30 */
     X_QEMU_CAPS_VHOST_NET, /* vhost-net support available */
     X_QEMU_CAPS_RTC_TD_HACK, /* -rtc-td-hack available */
-    QEMU_CAPS_NO_HPET, /* -no-hpet flag is supported */
+    X_QEMU_CAPS_NO_HPET, /* -no-hpet flag is supported */
     X_QEMU_CAPS_NO_KVM_PIT, /* -no-kvm-pit-reinjection supported */
     X_QEMU_CAPS_TDF, /* -tdf flag (user-mode pit catchup) */
 
diff --git a/tests/qemucapabilitiesdata/caps_4.2.0.x86_64.xml b/tests/qemucapabilitiesdata/caps_4.2.0.x86_64.xml
index 6657f7d393..e36983da58 100644
--- a/tests/qemucapabilitiesdata/caps_4.2.0.x86_64.xml
+++ b/tests/qemucapabilitiesdata/caps_4.2.0.x86_64.xml
@@ -5,7 +5,6 @@
   <selfvers>0</selfvers>
   <flag name='kvm'/>
   <flag name='sdl'/>
-  <flag name='no-hpet'/>
   <flag name='spice'/>
   <flag name='hda-duplex'/>
   <flag name='ccid-emulated'/>
diff --git a/tests/qemucapabilitiesdata/caps_5.0.0.x86_64.xml b/tests/qemucapabilitiesdata/caps_5.0.0.x86_64.xml
index 8c145d1926..89a083dda8 100644
--- a/tests/qemucapabilitiesdata/caps_5.0.0.x86_64.xml
+++ b/tests/qemucapabilitiesdata/caps_5.0.0.x86_64.xml
@@ -5,7 +5,6 @@
   <selfvers>0</selfvers>
   <flag name='kvm'/>
   <flag name='sdl'/>
-  <flag name='no-hpet'/>
   <flag name='spice'/>
   <flag name='hda-duplex'/>
   <flag name='ccid-emulated'/>
diff --git a/tests/qemucapabilitiesdata/caps_5.1.0.x86_64.xml b/tests/qemucapabilitiesdata/caps_5.1.0.x86_64.xml
index d8a49f0664..f02e843248 100644
--- a/tests/qemucapabilitiesdata/caps_5.1.0.x86_64.xml
+++ b/tests/qemucapabilitiesdata/caps_5.1.0.x86_64.xml
@@ -5,7 +5,6 @@
   <selfvers>0</selfvers>
   <flag name='kvm'/>
   <flag name='sdl'/>
-  <flag name='no-hpet'/>
   <flag name='spice'/>
   <flag name='hda-duplex'/>
   <flag name='ccid-emulated'/>
diff --git a/tests/qemucapabilitiesdata/caps_5.2.0.x86_64.xml b/tests/qemucapabilitiesdata/caps_5.2.0.x86_64.xml
index 3c0dde9948..293447644e 100644
--- a/tests/qemucapabilitiesdata/caps_5.2.0.x86_64.xml
+++ b/tests/qemucapabilitiesdata/caps_5.2.0.x86_64.xml
@@ -5,7 +5,6 @@
   <selfvers>0</selfvers>
   <flag name='kvm'/>
   <flag name='sdl'/>
-  <flag name='no-hpet'/>
   <flag name='spice'/>
   <flag name='hda-duplex'/>
   <flag name='ccid-emulated'/>
diff --git a/tests/qemucapabilitiesdata/caps_6.0.0.x86_64.xml b/tests/qemucapabilitiesdata/caps_6.0.0.x86_64.xml
index f5977d3e7e..fc6a3ffd4a 100644
--- a/tests/qemucapabilitiesdata/caps_6.0.0.x86_64.xml
+++ b/tests/qemucapabilitiesdata/caps_6.0.0.x86_64.xml
@@ -5,7 +5,6 @@
   <selfvers>0</selfvers>
   <flag name='kvm'/>
   <flag name='sdl'/>
-  <flag name='no-hpet'/>
   <flag name='spice'/>
   <flag name='hda-duplex'/>
   <flag name='ccid-emulated'/>
diff --git a/tests/qemucapabilitiesdata/caps_6.1.0.x86_64.xml b/tests/qemucapabilitiesdata/caps_6.1.0.x86_64.xml
index d10b4a6b1e..e5fbc91821 100644
--- a/tests/qemucapabilitiesdata/caps_6.1.0.x86_64.xml
+++ b/tests/qemucapabilitiesdata/caps_6.1.0.x86_64.xml
@@ -5,7 +5,6 @@
   <selfvers>0</selfvers>
   <flag name='kvm'/>
   <flag name='sdl'/>
-  <flag name='no-hpet'/>
   <flag name='spice'/>
   <flag name='hda-duplex'/>
   <flag name='ccid-emulated'/>
diff --git a/tests/qemucapabilitiesdata/caps_6.2.0.x86_64.xml b/tests/qemucapabilitiesdata/caps_6.2.0.x86_64.xml
index aa5361d4dd..fb1ac7a646 100644
--- a/tests/qemucapabilitiesdata/caps_6.2.0.x86_64.xml
+++ b/tests/qemucapabilitiesdata/caps_6.2.0.x86_64.xml
@@ -5,7 +5,6 @@
   <selfvers>0</selfvers>
   <flag name='kvm'/>
   <flag name='sdl'/>
-  <flag name='no-hpet'/>
   <flag name='spice'/>
   <flag name='hda-duplex'/>
   <flag name='ccid-emulated'/>
diff --git a/tests/qemucapabilitiesdata/caps_7.0.0.x86_64.xml b/tests/qemucapabilitiesdata/caps_7.0.0.x86_64.xml
index 17a63d09e6..7b77347a31 100644
--- a/tests/qemucapabilitiesdata/caps_7.0.0.x86_64.xml
+++ b/tests/qemucapabilitiesdata/caps_7.0.0.x86_64.xml
@@ -5,7 +5,6 @@
   <selfvers>0</selfvers>
   <flag name='kvm'/>
   <flag name='sdl'/>
-  <flag name='no-hpet'/>
   <flag name='spice'/>
   <flag name='hda-duplex'/>
   <flag name='ccid-emulated'/>
diff --git a/tests/qemucapabilitiesdata/caps_7.1.0.x86_64.xml b/tests/qemucapabilitiesdata/caps_7.1.0.x86_64.xml
index c78c2ea293..b9d5a665a9 100644
--- a/tests/qemucapabilitiesdata/caps_7.1.0.x86_64.xml
+++ b/tests/qemucapabilitiesdata/caps_7.1.0.x86_64.xml
@@ -5,7 +5,6 @@
   <selfvers>0</selfvers>
   <flag name='kvm'/>
   <flag name='sdl'/>
-  <flag name='no-hpet'/>
   <flag name='spice'/>
   <flag name='hda-duplex'/>
   <flag name='ccid-emulated'/>
diff --git a/tests/qemucapabilitiesdata/caps_7.2.0.x86_64.xml b/tests/qemucapabilitiesdata/caps_7.2.0.x86_64.xml
index e55265ee0b..b79700d4f8 100644
--- a/tests/qemucapabilitiesdata/caps_7.2.0.x86_64.xml
+++ b/tests/qemucapabilitiesdata/caps_7.2.0.x86_64.xml
@@ -5,7 +5,6 @@
   <selfvers>0</selfvers>
   <flag name='kvm'/>
   <flag name='sdl'/>
-  <flag name='no-hpet'/>
   <flag name='spice'/>
   <flag name='hda-duplex'/>
   <flag name='ccid-emulated'/>