diff --git a/backends/hostmem-epc.c b/backends/hostmem-epc.c
index 735e2e1..f58fcf0 100644
--- a/backends/hostmem-epc.c
+++ b/backends/hostmem-epc.c
@@ -36,6 +36,7 @@
         return false;
     }
 
+    backend->aligned = true;
     name = object_get_canonical_path(OBJECT(backend));
     ram_flags = (backend->share ? RAM_SHARED : 0) | RAM_PROTECTED;
     return memory_region_init_ram_from_fd(&backend->mr, OBJECT(backend), name,
diff --git a/backends/hostmem-file.c b/backends/hostmem-file.c
index 3c69db7..7e5072e 100644
--- a/backends/hostmem-file.c
+++ b/backends/hostmem-file.c
@@ -80,6 +80,7 @@
         g_assert_not_reached();
     }
 
+    backend->aligned = true;
     name = host_memory_backend_get_name(backend);
     ram_flags = backend->share ? RAM_SHARED : 0;
     ram_flags |= fb->readonly ? RAM_READONLY_FD : 0;
diff --git a/backends/hostmem-memfd.c b/backends/hostmem-memfd.c
index 745ead0..6a3c89a 100644
--- a/backends/hostmem-memfd.c
+++ b/backends/hostmem-memfd.c
@@ -52,6 +52,7 @@
         return false;
     }
 
+    backend->aligned = true;
     name = host_memory_backend_get_name(backend);
     ram_flags = backend->share ? RAM_SHARED : 0;
     ram_flags |= backend->reserve ? 0 : RAM_NORESERVE;
diff --git a/backends/hostmem.c b/backends/hostmem.c
index eb9682b..1edc0ed 100644
--- a/backends/hostmem.c
+++ b/backends/hostmem.c
@@ -20,6 +20,7 @@
 #include "qom/object_interfaces.h"
 #include "qemu/mmap-alloc.h"
 #include "qemu/madvise.h"
+#include "qemu/cutils.h"
 #include "hw/qdev-core.h"
 
 #ifdef CONFIG_NUMA
@@ -325,6 +326,7 @@
     HostMemoryBackendClass *bc = MEMORY_BACKEND_GET_CLASS(uc);
     void *ptr;
     uint64_t sz;
+    size_t pagesize;
     bool async = !phase_check(PHASE_LATE_BACKENDS_CREATED);
 
     if (!bc->alloc) {
@@ -336,6 +338,14 @@
 
     ptr = memory_region_get_ram_ptr(&backend->mr);
     sz = memory_region_size(&backend->mr);
+    pagesize = qemu_ram_pagesize(backend->mr.ram_block);
+
+    if (backend->aligned && !QEMU_IS_ALIGNED(sz, pagesize)) {
+        g_autofree char *pagesize_str = size_to_str(pagesize);
+        error_setg(errp, "backend '%s' memory size must be multiple of %s",
+                   object_get_typename(OBJECT(uc)), pagesize_str);
+        return;
+    }
 
     if (backend->merge) {
         qemu_madvise(ptr, sz, QEMU_MADV_MERGEABLE);
diff --git a/include/sysemu/hostmem.h b/include/sysemu/hostmem.h
index 04b884b..de47ae5 100644
--- a/include/sysemu/hostmem.h
+++ b/include/sysemu/hostmem.h
@@ -74,7 +74,7 @@
     uint64_t size;
     bool merge, dump, use_canonical_path;
     bool prealloc, is_mapped, share, reserve;
-    bool guest_memfd;
+    bool guest_memfd, aligned;
     uint32_t prealloc_threads;
     ThreadContext *prealloc_context;
     DECLARE_BITMAP(host_nodes, MAX_NODES + 1);