diff --git a/hw/s390x/s390-virtio-bus.c b/hw/s390x/s390-virtio-bus.c
index 2059874ae3..39dc2011b9 100644
--- a/hw/s390x/s390-virtio-bus.c
+++ b/hw/s390x/s390-virtio-bus.c
@@ -311,10 +311,8 @@ static void s390_virtio_rng_instance_init(Object *obj)
 
     virtio_instance_init_common(obj, &dev->vdev, sizeof(dev->vdev),
                                 TYPE_VIRTIO_RNG);
-    object_property_add_link(obj, "rng", TYPE_RNG_BACKEND,
-                             (Object **)&dev->vdev.conf.rng,
-                             qdev_prop_allow_set_link_before_realize,
-                             OBJ_PROP_LINK_UNREF_ON_RELEASE, NULL);
+    object_property_add_alias(obj, "rng", OBJECT(&dev->vdev),
+                              "rng", &error_abort);
 }
 
 static uint64_t s390_virtio_device_vq_token(VirtIOS390Device *dev, int vq)
diff --git a/hw/s390x/virtio-ccw.c b/hw/s390x/virtio-ccw.c
index 1c0d91321a..ea236c9b01 100644
--- a/hw/s390x/virtio-ccw.c
+++ b/hw/s390x/virtio-ccw.c
@@ -1544,10 +1544,8 @@ static void virtio_ccw_rng_instance_init(Object *obj)
 
     virtio_instance_init_common(obj, &dev->vdev, sizeof(dev->vdev),
                                 TYPE_VIRTIO_RNG);
-    object_property_add_link(obj, "rng", TYPE_RNG_BACKEND,
-                             (Object **)&dev->vdev.conf.rng,
-                             qdev_prop_allow_set_link_before_realize,
-                             OBJ_PROP_LINK_UNREF_ON_RELEASE, NULL);
+    object_property_add_alias(obj, "rng", OBJECT(&dev->vdev),
+                              "rng", &error_abort);
 }
 
 static Property virtio_ccw_rng_properties[] = {
diff --git a/hw/virtio/virtio-pci.c b/hw/virtio/virtio-pci.c
index 542fb9e279..e490adeb80 100644
--- a/hw/virtio/virtio-pci.c
+++ b/hw/virtio/virtio-pci.c
@@ -1525,11 +1525,8 @@ static void virtio_rng_initfn(Object *obj)
 
     virtio_instance_init_common(obj, &dev->vdev, sizeof(dev->vdev),
                                 TYPE_VIRTIO_RNG);
-    object_property_add_link(obj, "rng", TYPE_RNG_BACKEND,
-                             (Object **)&dev->vdev.conf.rng,
-                             qdev_prop_allow_set_link_before_realize,
-                             OBJ_PROP_LINK_UNREF_ON_RELEASE, NULL);
-
+    object_property_add_alias(obj, "rng", OBJECT(&dev->vdev), "rng",
+                              &error_abort);
 }
 
 static const TypeInfo virtio_rng_pci_info = {