diff --git a/hw/lm32/milkymist.c b/hw/lm32/milkymist.c
index 6d46134232..5c72266e58 100644
--- a/hw/lm32/milkymist.c
+++ b/hw/lm32/milkymist.c
@@ -36,6 +36,7 @@
 #include "hw/display/milkymist_tmu2.h"
 #include "lm32.h"
 #include "exec/address-spaces.h"
+#include "qemu/cutils.h"
 
 #define BIOS_FILENAME    "mmone-bios.bin"
 #define BIOS_OFFSET      0x00860000
@@ -82,6 +83,7 @@ static void main_cpu_reset(void *opaque)
 static void
 milkymist_init(MachineState *machine)
 {
+    MachineClass *mc = MACHINE_GET_CLASS(machine);
     const char *kernel_filename = machine->kernel_filename;
     const char *kernel_cmdline = machine->kernel_cmdline;
     const char *initrd_filename = machine->initrd_filename;
@@ -90,22 +92,27 @@ milkymist_init(MachineState *machine)
     int kernel_size;
     DriveInfo *dinfo;
     MemoryRegion *address_space_mem = get_system_memory();
-    MemoryRegion *phys_sdram = g_new(MemoryRegion, 1);
     qemu_irq irq[32];
     int i;
     char *bios_filename;
     ResetInfo *reset_info;
 
+    if (machine->ram_size != mc->default_ram_size) {
+        char *sz = size_to_str(mc->default_ram_size);
+        error_report("Invalid RAM size, should be %s", sz);
+        g_free(sz);
+        exit(EXIT_FAILURE);
+    }
+
     /* memory map */
     hwaddr flash_base   = 0x00000000;
     size_t flash_sector_size        = 128 * KiB;
     size_t flash_size               = 32 * MiB;
     hwaddr sdram_base   = 0x40000000;
-    size_t sdram_size               = 128 * MiB;
 
     hwaddr initrd_base  = sdram_base + 0x1002000;
     hwaddr cmdline_base = sdram_base + 0x1000000;
-    size_t initrd_max = sdram_size - 0x1002000;
+    size_t initrd_max = machine->ram_size - 0x1002000;
 
     reset_info = g_malloc0(sizeof(ResetInfo));
 
@@ -116,9 +123,7 @@ milkymist_init(MachineState *machine)
 
     cpu_lm32_set_phys_msb_ignore(env, 1);
 
-    memory_region_allocate_system_memory(phys_sdram, NULL, "milkymist.sdram",
-                                         sdram_size);
-    memory_region_add_subregion(address_space_mem, sdram_base, phys_sdram);
+    memory_region_add_subregion(address_space_mem, sdram_base, machine->ram);
 
     dinfo = drive_get(IF_PFLASH, 0, 0);
     /* Numonyx JS28F256J3F105 */
@@ -183,7 +188,7 @@ milkymist_init(MachineState *machine)
 
         if (kernel_size < 0) {
             kernel_size = load_image_targphys(kernel_filename, sdram_base,
-                                              sdram_size);
+                                              machine->ram_size);
             reset_info->bootstrap_pc = sdram_base;
         }
 
@@ -216,6 +221,8 @@ static void milkymist_machine_init(MachineClass *mc)
     mc->init = milkymist_init;
     mc->is_default = 0;
     mc->default_cpu_type = LM32_CPU_TYPE_NAME("lm32-full");
+    mc->default_ram_size = 128 * MiB;
+    mc->default_ram_id = "milkymist.sdram";
 }
 
 DEFINE_MACHINE("milkymist", milkymist_machine_init)