diff --git a/hw/net/xilinx_axienet.c b/hw/net/xilinx_axienet.c
index 5ffa739f68..d4c2c89dc1 100644
--- a/hw/net/xilinx_axienet.c
+++ b/hw/net/xilinx_axienet.c
@@ -989,18 +989,6 @@ static void xilinx_enet_init(Object *obj)
     XilinxAXIEnet *s = XILINX_AXI_ENET(obj);
     SysBusDevice *sbd = SYS_BUS_DEVICE(obj);
 
-    object_property_add_link(obj, "axistream-connected", TYPE_STREAM_SLAVE,
-                             (Object **) &s->tx_data_dev,
-                             qdev_prop_allow_set_link_before_realize,
-                             OBJ_PROP_LINK_UNREF_ON_RELEASE,
-                             &error_abort);
-    object_property_add_link(obj, "axistream-control-connected",
-                             TYPE_STREAM_SLAVE,
-                             (Object **) &s->tx_control_dev,
-                             qdev_prop_allow_set_link_before_realize,
-                             OBJ_PROP_LINK_UNREF_ON_RELEASE,
-                             &error_abort);
-
     object_initialize(&s->rx_data_dev, sizeof(s->rx_data_dev),
                       TYPE_XILINX_AXI_ENET_DATA_STREAM);
     object_initialize(&s->rx_control_dev, sizeof(s->rx_control_dev),
@@ -1021,6 +1009,10 @@ static Property xilinx_enet_properties[] = {
     DEFINE_PROP_UINT32("rxmem", XilinxAXIEnet, c_rxmem, 0x1000),
     DEFINE_PROP_UINT32("txmem", XilinxAXIEnet, c_txmem, 0x1000),
     DEFINE_NIC_PROPERTIES(XilinxAXIEnet, conf),
+    DEFINE_PROP_LINK("axistream-connected", XilinxAXIEnet,
+                     tx_data_dev, TYPE_STREAM_SLAVE, StreamSlave *),
+    DEFINE_PROP_LINK("axistream-control-connected", XilinxAXIEnet,
+                     tx_control_dev, TYPE_STREAM_SLAVE, StreamSlave *),
     DEFINE_PROP_END_OF_LIST(),
 };