diff --git a/tools/testing/selftests/kvm/aarch64/psci_test.c b/tools/testing/selftests/kvm/aarch64/psci_test.c
index 8c998f0..fe1d5d34 100644
--- a/tools/testing/selftests/kvm/aarch64/psci_test.c
+++ b/tools/testing/selftests/kvm/aarch64/psci_test.c
@@ -60,6 +60,15 @@ static void guest_main(uint64_t target_cpu)
 	GUEST_DONE();
 }
 
+static void vcpu_power_off(struct kvm_vm *vm, uint32_t vcpuid)
+{
+	struct kvm_mp_state mp_state = {
+		.mp_state = KVM_MP_STATE_STOPPED,
+	};
+
+	vcpu_set_mp_state(vm, vcpuid, &mp_state);
+}
+
 int main(void)
 {
 	uint64_t target_mpidr, obs_pc, obs_x0;
@@ -75,12 +84,12 @@ int main(void)
 	init.features[0] |= (1 << KVM_ARM_VCPU_PSCI_0_2);
 
 	aarch64_vcpu_add_default(vm, VCPU_ID_SOURCE, &init, guest_main);
+	aarch64_vcpu_add_default(vm, VCPU_ID_TARGET, &init, guest_main);
 
 	/*
 	 * make sure the target is already off when executing the test.
 	 */
-	init.features[0] |= (1 << KVM_ARM_VCPU_POWER_OFF);
-	aarch64_vcpu_add_default(vm, VCPU_ID_TARGET, &init, guest_main);
+	vcpu_power_off(vm, VCPU_ID_TARGET);
 
 	get_reg(vm, VCPU_ID_TARGET, KVM_ARM64_SYS_REG(SYS_MPIDR_EL1), &target_mpidr);
 	vcpu_args_set(vm, VCPU_ID_SOURCE, 1, target_mpidr & MPIDR_HWID_BITMASK);