diff --git a/hw/ppc/pnv.c b/hw/ppc/pnv.c
index 737dee4980..0208517f1a 100644
--- a/hw/ppc/pnv.c
+++ b/hw/ppc/pnv.c
@@ -294,6 +294,13 @@ static void pnv_dt_icp(PnvChip *chip, void *fdt, uint32_t pir,
 Object *pnv_chip_add_phb(PnvChip *chip, PnvPHB *phb, Error **errp)
 {
     if (phb->version == 3) {
+        Pnv8Chip *chip8 = PNV8_CHIP(chip);
+
+        phb->chip = chip;
+
+        chip8->phbs[chip8->num_phbs] = phb;
+        chip8->num_phbs++;
+
         return OBJECT(chip);
     } else {
         /* phb4 support will be added later */
@@ -681,7 +688,7 @@ static void pnv_chip_power8_pic_print_info(PnvChip *chip, Monitor *mon)
     ics_pic_print_info(&chip8->psi.ics, mon);
 
     for (i = 0; i < chip8->num_phbs; i++) {
-        PnvPHB *phb = &chip8->phbs[i];
+        PnvPHB *phb = chip8->phbs[i];
         PnvPHB3 *phb3 = PNV_PHB3(phb->backend);
 
         pnv_phb3_msi_pic_print_info(&phb3->msis, mon);
@@ -1174,7 +1181,17 @@ static void pnv_chip_power8_instance_init(Object *obj)
     chip8->num_phbs = pcc->num_phbs;
 
     for (i = 0; i < chip8->num_phbs; i++) {
-        object_initialize_child(obj, "phb[*]", &chip8->phbs[i], TYPE_PNV_PHB);
+        Object *phb = object_new(TYPE_PNV_PHB);
+
+        /*
+         * We need the chip to parent the PHB to allow the DT
+         * to build correctly (via pnv_xscom_dt()).
+         *
+         * TODO: the PHB should be parented by a PEC device that, at
+         * this moment, is not modelled powernv8/phb3.
+         */
+        object_property_add_child(obj, "phb[*]", phb);
+        chip8->phbs[i] = PNV_PHB(phb);
     }
 
 }
@@ -1290,7 +1307,7 @@ static void pnv_chip_power8_realize(DeviceState *dev, Error **errp)
 
     /* PHB controllers */
     for (i = 0; i < chip8->num_phbs; i++) {
-        PnvPHB *phb = &chip8->phbs[i];
+        PnvPHB *phb = chip8->phbs[i];
 
         object_property_set_int(OBJECT(phb), "index", i, &error_fatal);
         object_property_set_int(OBJECT(phb), "chip-id", chip->chip_id,
@@ -1983,7 +2000,7 @@ static ICSState *pnv_ics_get(XICSFabric *xi, int irq)
         }
 
         for (j = 0; j < chip8->num_phbs; j++) {
-            PnvPHB *phb = &chip8->phbs[j];
+            PnvPHB *phb = chip8->phbs[j];
             PnvPHB3 *phb3 = PNV_PHB3(phb->backend);
 
             if (ics_valid_irq(&phb3->lsis, irq)) {
@@ -2022,7 +2039,7 @@ static void pnv_ics_resend(XICSFabric *xi)
         ics_resend(&chip8->psi.ics);
 
         for (j = 0; j < chip8->num_phbs; j++) {
-            PnvPHB *phb = &chip8->phbs[j];
+            PnvPHB *phb = chip8->phbs[j];
             PnvPHB3 *phb3 = PNV_PHB3(phb->backend);
 
             ics_resend(&phb3->lsis);
diff --git a/include/hw/ppc/pnv.h b/include/hw/ppc/pnv.h
index c44f357bce..9ef7e2d0dc 100644
--- a/include/hw/ppc/pnv.h
+++ b/include/hw/ppc/pnv.h
@@ -82,7 +82,11 @@ struct Pnv8Chip {
     PnvHomer     homer;
 
 #define PNV8_CHIP_PHB3_MAX 4
-    PnvPHB       phbs[PNV8_CHIP_PHB3_MAX];
+    /*
+     * The array is used to allow quick access to the phbs by
+     * pnv_ics_get_child() and pnv_ics_resend_child().
+     */
+    PnvPHB       *phbs[PNV8_CHIP_PHB3_MAX];
     uint32_t     num_phbs;
 
     XICSFabric    *xics;