diff --git a/Documentation/virt/kvm/api.rst b/Documentation/virt/kvm/api.rst
index a5f9ee92f43e..4988c32df4bf 100644
--- a/Documentation/virt/kvm/api.rst
+++ b/Documentation/virt/kvm/api.rst
@@ -3515,6 +3515,17 @@ Possible features:
 	  Depends on KVM_CAP_ARM_PSCI_0_2.
 	- KVM_ARM_VCPU_PMU_V3: Emulate PMUv3 for the CPU.
 	  Depends on KVM_CAP_ARM_PMU_V3.
+	- KVM_ARM_VCPU_PMU_V3_STRICT: Enable strict PMUv3 UAPI.
+	  Requires KVM_ARM_VCPU_PMU_V3. Depends on KVM_CAP_ARM_PMU_V3_STRICT.
+	  When enabled:
+
+	    * Userspace must explicitly select a PMU implementation before
+	      initializing the PMU or configuring a PMU event filter
+
+	    * If the PMU implements FEAT_PMUv3p4, PMMIR_EL1.SLOTS provides the
+	      hardware value of the underlying implementation
+
+	    * Writes to PMCR_EL0.N via KVM_SET_ONE_REG are ignored
 
 	- KVM_ARM_VCPU_PTRAUTH_ADDRESS: Enables Address Pointer authentication
 	  for arm64 only.
diff --git a/Documentation/virt/kvm/devices/vcpu.rst b/Documentation/virt/kvm/devices/vcpu.rst
index 66e714f2fcfa..deb5c51bc00c 100644
--- a/Documentation/virt/kvm/devices/vcpu.rst
+++ b/Documentation/virt/kvm/devices/vcpu.rst
@@ -53,8 +53,9 @@ Returns:
 	 =======  ======================================================
 	 -EEXIST  Interrupt number already used
 	 -ENODEV  PMUv3 not supported or GIC not initialized
-	 -ENXIO   PMUv3 not supported, missing VCPU feature or interrupt
-		  number not set (non-GICv5 guests, only)
+	 -ENXIO   PMUv3 not supported, missing VCPU feature, missing
+                  hardware PMU, or interrupt number not set (non-GICv5
+                  guests, only)
 	 -EBUSY   PMUv3 already initialized
 	 =======  ======================================================
 
@@ -62,6 +63,9 @@ Request the initialization of the PMUv3.  If using the PMUv3 with an in-kernel
 virtual GIC implementation, this must be done after initializing the in-kernel
 irqchip.
 
+When the KVM_ARM_VCPU_PMU_V3_STRICT vCPU feature is enabled this must be done
+after selecting a hardware PMU.
+
 1.3 ATTRIBUTE: KVM_ARM_VCPU_PMU_V3_FILTER
 -----------------------------------------
 
@@ -108,6 +112,9 @@ hardware event. Filtering event 0x1E (CHAIN) has no effect either, as it
 isn't strictly speaking an event. Filtering the cycle counter is possible
 using event 0x11 (CPU_CYCLES).
 
+When the KVM_ARM_VCPU_PMU_V3_STRICT vCPU feature is enabled this must be done
+after selecting a hardware PMU.
+
 1.4 ATTRIBUTE: KVM_ARM_VCPU_PMU_V3_SET_PMU
 ------------------------------------------
 
diff --git a/arch/arm64/include/asm/kvm_host.h b/arch/arm64/include/asm/kvm_host.h
index 9e035d587970..39f7fc740d07 100644
--- a/arch/arm64/include/asm/kvm_host.h
+++ b/arch/arm64/include/asm/kvm_host.h
@@ -39,7 +39,7 @@
 
 #define KVM_MAX_VCPUS VGIC_V3_MAX_CPUS
 
-#define KVM_VCPU_MAX_FEATURES 9
+#define KVM_VCPU_MAX_FEATURES 10
 #define KVM_VCPU_VALID_FEATURES	(BIT(KVM_VCPU_MAX_FEATURES) - 1)
 
 #define KVM_REQ_SLEEP \
diff --git a/arch/arm64/kvm/arm.c b/arch/arm64/kvm/arm.c
index 50adfff75be8..7dbefdd846aa 100644
--- a/arch/arm64/kvm/arm.c
+++ b/arch/arm64/kvm/arm.c
@@ -452,6 +452,7 @@ int kvm_vm_ioctl_check_extension(struct kvm *kvm, long ext)
 		r = get_num_wrps();
 		break;
 	case KVM_CAP_ARM_PMU_V3:
+	case KVM_CAP_ARM_PMU_V3_STRICT:
 		r = kvm_supports_guest_pmuv3();
 		break;
 	case KVM_CAP_ARM_INJECT_SERROR_ESR:
@@ -1563,8 +1564,10 @@ static unsigned long system_supported_vcpu_features(void)
 	if (!cpus_have_final_cap(ARM64_HAS_32BIT_EL1))
 		clear_bit(KVM_ARM_VCPU_EL1_32BIT, &features);
 
-	if (!kvm_supports_guest_pmuv3())
+	if (!kvm_supports_guest_pmuv3()) {
 		clear_bit(KVM_ARM_VCPU_PMU_V3, &features);
+		clear_bit(KVM_ARM_VCPU_PMU_V3_STRICT, &features);
+	}
 
 	if (!system_supports_sve())
 		clear_bit(KVM_ARM_VCPU_SVE, &features);
@@ -1605,6 +1608,11 @@ static int kvm_vcpu_init_check_features(struct kvm_vcpu *vcpu,
 	    test_bit(KVM_ARM_VCPU_PTRAUTH_GENERIC, &features))
 		return -EINVAL;
 
+	/* Strict PMUv3 UAPI requires PMUv3. */
+	if (test_bit(KVM_ARM_VCPU_PMU_V3_STRICT, &features) &&
+	    !test_bit(KVM_ARM_VCPU_PMU_V3, &features))
+		return -EINVAL;
+
 	if (!test_bit(KVM_ARM_VCPU_EL1_32BIT, &features))
 		return 0;
 
@@ -1634,10 +1642,13 @@ static int kvm_setup_vcpu(struct kvm_vcpu *vcpu)
 	int ret = 0;
 
 	/*
-	 * When the vCPU has a PMU, but no PMU is set for the guest
-	 * yet, set the default one.
+	 * When the vCPU has a PMU, but no PMU is set for the guest yet, set
+	 * the default one. If KVM_ARM_VCPU_PMU_V3_STRICT is set, no default
+	 * PMU is created, and userspace must select a PMU via
+	 * KVM_ARM_VCPU_PMU_V3_SET_PMU.
 	 */
-	if (kvm_vcpu_has_pmu(vcpu) && !kvm->arch.arm_pmu)
+	if (kvm_vcpu_has_pmu(vcpu) && !kvm->arch.arm_pmu &&
+	    !kvm_vcpu_has_pmuv3_strict(vcpu))
 		ret = kvm_arm_set_default_pmu(kvm);
 
 	/* Prepare for nested if required */
diff --git a/arch/arm64/kvm/pmu-emul.c b/arch/arm64/kvm/pmu-emul.c
index bcfd0a91e114..5b1af7e2176f 100644
--- a/arch/arm64/kvm/pmu-emul.c
+++ b/arch/arm64/kvm/pmu-emul.c
@@ -939,6 +939,10 @@ int kvm_arm_pmu_v3_enable(struct kvm_vcpu *vcpu)
 
 static int kvm_arm_pmu_v3_init(struct kvm_vcpu *vcpu)
 {
+	/* Only possible when using KVM_ARM_VCPU_PMU_V3_STRICT */
+	if (!vcpu->kvm->arch.arm_pmu)
+		return -ENXIO;
+
 	if (irqchip_in_kernel(vcpu->kvm)) {
 		int ret;
 
@@ -1009,6 +1013,14 @@ u8 kvm_arm_pmu_get_max_counters(struct kvm *kvm)
 {
 	struct arm_pmu *arm_pmu = kvm->arch.arm_pmu;
 
+	/*
+	 * Under KVM_ARM_VCPU_PMU_V3_STRICT no PMU exists until userspace sets
+	 * one, so this can be reached before arm_pmu is set. Report no
+	 * counters in that case.
+	 */
+	if (!arm_pmu)
+		return 0;
+
 	/*
 	 * PMUv3 requires that all event counters are capable of counting any
 	 * event, though the same may not be true of non-PMUv3 hardware.
@@ -1050,7 +1062,8 @@ static void kvm_arm_set_pmu(struct kvm *kvm, struct arm_pmu *arm_pmu)
 }
 
 /**
- * kvm_arm_set_default_pmu - No PMU set, get the default one.
+ * kvm_arm_set_default_pmu - No PMU set and KVM_ARM_VCPU_PMU_V3_STRICT not
+ * set, get the default one.
  * @kvm: The kvm pointer
  *
  * The observant among you will notice that the supported_cpus
@@ -1190,6 +1203,9 @@ int kvm_arm_pmu_v3_set_attr(struct kvm_vcpu *vcpu, struct kvm_device_attr *attr)
 		if (kvm_vm_has_ran_once(kvm))
 			return -EBUSY;
 
+		if (!kvm->arch.arm_pmu)
+			return -ENXIO;
+
 		if (!kvm->arch.pmu_filter) {
 			kvm->arch.pmu_filter = bitmap_alloc(nr_events, GFP_KERNEL_ACCOUNT);
 			if (!kvm->arch.pmu_filter)
diff --git a/include/uapi/linux/kvm.h b/include/uapi/linux/kvm.h
index 419011097fa8..9fc8dfdfd65f 100644
--- a/include/uapi/linux/kvm.h
+++ b/include/uapi/linux/kvm.h
@@ -997,6 +997,7 @@ struct kvm_enable_cap {
 #define KVM_CAP_S390_KEYOP 247
 #define KVM_CAP_S390_VSIE_ESAMODE 248
 #define KVM_CAP_S390_HPAGE_2G 249
+#define KVM_CAP_ARM_PMU_V3_STRICT 250
 
 struct kvm_irq_routing_irqchip {
 	__u32 irqchip;