diff --git a/arch/arm64/kvm/arch_timer.c b/arch/arm64/kvm/arch_timer.c
index 6ac3321f4c57..a45845f4ae4e 100644
--- a/arch/arm64/kvm/arch_timer.c
+++ b/arch/arm64/kvm/arch_timer.c
@@ -1110,8 +1110,7 @@ void kvm_timer_vcpu_init(struct kvm_vcpu *vcpu)
 		timer_context_init(vcpu, i);
 
 	/* Synchronize offsets across timers of a VM if not already provided */
-	if (!vcpu_is_protected(vcpu) &&
-	    !test_bit(KVM_ARCH_FLAG_VM_COUNTER_OFFSET, &vcpu->kvm->arch.flags)) {
+	if (!test_bit(KVM_ARCH_FLAG_VM_COUNTER_OFFSET, &vcpu->kvm->arch.flags)) {
 		timer_set_offset(vcpu_vtimer(vcpu), kvm_phys_timer_read());
 		timer_set_offset(vcpu_ptimer(vcpu), 0);
 	}
@@ -1133,6 +1132,15 @@ void kvm_timer_init_vm(struct kvm *kvm)
 	 */
 	for (int i = 0; i < NR_KVM_TIMERS; i++)
 		kvm->arch.timer_data.ppi[i] = get_vgic_ppi(kvm, default_ppi[i]);
+
+	/*
+	 * Protected VMs don't allow the userspace to set counter offsets,
+	 * either set via counter register writes or the dedicated ioctls.
+	 * Pretend the offset has already been set and rely on the default
+	 * offset being 0.
+	 */
+	if (kvm_vm_is_protected(kvm))
+		set_bit(KVM_ARCH_FLAG_VM_COUNTER_OFFSET, &kvm->arch.flags);
 }
 
 void kvm_timer_cpu_up(void)