diff --git a/arch/x86/kvm/vmx/pmu_intel.c b/arch/x86/kvm/vmx/pmu_intel.c
index a6216c874729..8207f8c03585 100644
--- a/arch/x86/kvm/vmx/pmu_intel.c
+++ b/arch/x86/kvm/vmx/pmu_intel.c
@@ -108,11 +108,24 @@ static bool intel_hw_event_available(struct kvm_pmc *pmc)
 	u8 unit_mask = (pmc->eventsel & ARCH_PERFMON_EVENTSEL_UMASK) >> 8;
 	int i;
 
+	/*
+	 * Fixed counters are always available if KVM reaches this point.  If a
+	 * fixed counter is unsupported in hardware or guest CPUID, KVM doesn't
+	 * allow the counter's corresponding MSR to be written.  KVM does use
+	 * architectural events to program fixed counters, as the interface to
+	 * perf doesn't allow requesting a specific fixed counter, e.g. perf
+	 * may (sadly) back a guest fixed PMC with a general purposed counter.
+	 * But if _hardware_ doesn't support the associated event, KVM simply
+	 * doesn't enumerate support for the fixed counter.
+	 */
+	if (pmc_is_fixed(pmc))
+		return true;
+
 	BUILD_BUG_ON(ARRAY_SIZE(intel_arch_events) != NR_INTEL_ARCH_EVENTS);
 
 	/*
 	 * Disallow events reported as unavailable in guest CPUID.  Note, this
-	 * doesn't apply to pseudo-architectural events.
+	 * doesn't apply to pseudo-architectural events (see above).
 	 */
 	for (i = 0; i < NR_REAL_INTEL_ARCH_EVENTS; i++) {
 		if (intel_arch_events[i].eventsel != event_select ||