diff --git a/src/qemu/qemu_domain.c b/src/qemu/qemu_domain.c
index 6b869797a8..d91c7d478b 100644
--- a/src/qemu/qemu_domain.c
+++ b/src/qemu/qemu_domain.c
@@ -10995,12 +10995,13 @@ virSaveCookieCallbacks virQEMUDriverDomainSaveCookie = {
  * @vm: domain which is being started
  * @cpu: CPU updated when the domain was running previously (before migration,
  *       snapshot, or save)
- * @origCPU: where to store the original CPU from vm->def in case @cpu was
- *           used instead
+ * @origCPU: where to store the original CPU from vm->def
  *
- * Replace the CPU definition with the updated one when QEMU is new enough to
- * allow us to check extra features it is about to enable or disable when
- * starting a domain. The original CPU is stored in @origCPU.
+ * Save the original CPU definition from inactive XML in @origCPU so that we
+ * can safely update it and still be able to check what exactly a user asked
+ * for. The domain definition will either contain a copy of the original CPU
+ * definition or a copy of @cpu in case the domain was already running and
+ * we're just restoring a saved state or preparing for incoming migration.
  *
  * Returns 0 on success, -1 on error.
  */
@@ -11013,18 +11014,24 @@ qemuDomainUpdateCPU(virDomainObj *vm,
 
     *origCPU = NULL;
 
-    if (!cpu || !vm->def->cpu ||
-        !virQEMUCapsGet(priv->qemuCaps, QEMU_CAPS_QUERY_CPU_MODEL_EXPANSION) ||
-        virCPUDefIsEqual(vm->def->cpu, cpu, false))
+    if (!vm->def->cpu)
         return 0;
 
-    if (!(cpu = virCPUDefCopy(cpu)))
-        return -1;
+    if (!virQEMUCapsGet(priv->qemuCaps, QEMU_CAPS_QUERY_CPU_MODEL_EXPANSION))
+        return 0;
 
-    VIR_DEBUG("Replacing CPU def with the updated one");
+    /* nothing to do if only topology part of CPU def is used */
+    if (vm->def->cpu->mode == VIR_CPU_MODE_CUSTOM && !vm->def->cpu->model)
+        return 0;
 
-    *origCPU = vm->def->cpu;
-    vm->def->cpu = cpu;
+    VIR_DEBUG("Replacing CPU definition");
+
+    *origCPU = g_steal_pointer(&vm->def->cpu);
+
+    if (cpu)
+        vm->def->cpu = virCPUDefCopy(cpu);
+    else
+        vm->def->cpu = virCPUDefCopy(*origCPU);
 
     return 0;
 }
diff --git a/src/qemu/qemu_process.c b/src/qemu/qemu_process.c
index e4bcb628cf..2bd2c424fe 100644
--- a/src/qemu/qemu_process.c
+++ b/src/qemu/qemu_process.c
@@ -4437,8 +4437,6 @@ qemuProcessUpdateLiveGuestCPU(virDomainObj *vm,
                               virCPUData *disabled)
 {
     virDomainDef *def = vm->def;
-    qemuDomainObjPrivate *priv = vm->privateData;
-    g_autoptr(virCPUDef) orig = NULL;
     int rc;
 
     if (!enabled)
@@ -4449,19 +4447,11 @@ qemuProcessUpdateLiveGuestCPU(virDomainObj *vm,
          !def->cpu->model))
         return 0;
 
-    orig = virCPUDefCopy(def->cpu);
-
-    if ((rc = virCPUUpdateLive(def->os.arch, def->cpu, enabled, disabled)) < 0) {
+    if ((rc = virCPUUpdateLive(def->os.arch, def->cpu, enabled, disabled)) < 0)
         return -1;
-    } else if (rc == 0) {
-        /* Store the original CPU in priv if QEMU changed it and we didn't
-         * get the original CPU via migration, restore, or snapshot revert.
-         */
-        if (!priv->origCPU && !virCPUDefIsEqual(def->cpu, orig, false))
-            priv->origCPU = g_steal_pointer(&orig);
 
+    if (rc == 0)
         def->cpu->check = VIR_CPU_CHECK_FULL;
-    }
 
     return 0;
 }
@@ -9147,6 +9137,11 @@ qemuProcessReconnect(void *opaque)
 
     qemuDomainVcpuPersistOrder(obj->def);
 
+    /* Make sure the original CPU is always preserved in priv->origCPU. */
+    if (!priv->origCPU &&
+        qemuDomainUpdateCPU(obj, NULL, &priv->origCPU) < 0)
+        goto error;
+
     if (qemuProcessRefreshCPU(driver, obj) < 0)
         goto error;