diff --git a/docs/devel/build-system.rst b/docs/devel/build-system.rst
index 0f990bb3e9..21f78da7d1 100644
--- a/docs/devel/build-system.rst
+++ b/docs/devel/build-system.rst
@@ -225,14 +225,14 @@ Target-dependent emulator sourcesets:
   The sourceset is only used for system emulators.
 
   Each subdirectory in ``target/`` instead should add one sourceset to each
-  of the ``target_arch`` and ``target_softmmu_arch``, which are used respectively
+  of the ``target_arch`` and ``target_system_arch``, which are used respectively
   for all emulators and for system emulators only.  For example::
 
     arm_ss = ss.source_set()
     arm_system_ss = ss.source_set()
     ...
     target_arch += {'arm': arm_ss}
-    target_softmmu_arch += {'arm': arm_system_ss}
+    target_system_arch += {'arm': arm_system_ss}
 
 Module sourcesets:
   There are two dictionaries for modules: ``modules`` is used for
diff --git a/meson.build b/meson.build
index 8890dc5748..497a85eb9f 100644
--- a/meson.build
+++ b/meson.build
@@ -3214,7 +3214,7 @@ modules = {}
 target_modules = {}
 hw_arch = {}
 target_arch = {}
-target_softmmu_arch = {}
+target_system_arch = {}
 target_user_arch = {}
 
 ###############
@@ -3734,7 +3734,7 @@ foreach target : target_dirs
   endif
   if target.endswith('-softmmu')
     target_type='system'
-    t = target_softmmu_arch[target_base_arch].apply(config_target, strict: false)
+    t = target_system_arch[target_base_arch].apply(config_target, strict: false)
     arch_srcs += t.sources()
     arch_deps += t.dependencies()
 
diff --git a/target/alpha/meson.build b/target/alpha/meson.build
index 3f5253c002..d3502dd823 100644
--- a/target/alpha/meson.build
+++ b/target/alpha/meson.build
@@ -15,4 +15,4 @@ alpha_system_ss = ss.source_set()
 alpha_system_ss.add(files('machine.c'))
 
 target_arch += {'alpha': alpha_ss}
-target_softmmu_arch += {'alpha': alpha_system_ss}
+target_system_arch += {'alpha': alpha_system_ss}
diff --git a/target/arm/meson.build b/target/arm/meson.build
index e645e456da..5d04a8e94f 100644
--- a/target/arm/meson.build
+++ b/target/arm/meson.build
@@ -35,4 +35,4 @@ else
 endif
 
 target_arch += {'arm': arm_ss}
-target_softmmu_arch += {'arm': arm_system_ss}
+target_system_arch += {'arm': arm_system_ss}
diff --git a/target/avr/meson.build b/target/avr/meson.build
index a24cf6d26d..3e172bde1c 100644
--- a/target/avr/meson.build
+++ b/target/avr/meson.build
@@ -17,4 +17,4 @@ avr_ss.add(files(
 avr_system_ss.add(files('machine.c'))
 
 target_arch += {'avr': avr_ss}
-target_softmmu_arch += {'avr': avr_system_ss}
+target_system_arch += {'avr': avr_system_ss}
diff --git a/target/cris/meson.build b/target/cris/meson.build
index 07dc3a5682..bbfcdf7f7a 100644
--- a/target/cris/meson.build
+++ b/target/cris/meson.build
@@ -14,4 +14,4 @@ cris_system_ss.add(files(
 ))
 
 target_arch += {'cris': cris_ss}
-target_softmmu_arch += {'cris': cris_system_ss}
+target_system_arch += {'cris': cris_system_ss}
diff --git a/target/hppa/meson.build b/target/hppa/meson.build
index 59b68e82e2..f47e54f5fa 100644
--- a/target/hppa/meson.build
+++ b/target/hppa/meson.build
@@ -20,4 +20,4 @@ hppa_system_ss.add(files(
 ))
 
 target_arch += {'hppa': hppa_ss}
-target_softmmu_arch += {'hppa': hppa_system_ss}
+target_system_arch += {'hppa': hppa_system_ss}
diff --git a/target/i386/meson.build b/target/i386/meson.build
index 6f1036d469..7c74bfa859 100644
--- a/target/i386/meson.build
+++ b/target/i386/meson.build
@@ -31,5 +31,5 @@ subdir('hvf')
 subdir('tcg')
 
 target_arch += {'i386': i386_ss}
-target_softmmu_arch += {'i386': i386_system_ss}
+target_system_arch += {'i386': i386_system_ss}
 target_user_arch += {'i386': i386_user_ss}
diff --git a/target/loongarch/meson.build b/target/loongarch/meson.build
index 7fbf045a5d..18e8191e2b 100644
--- a/target/loongarch/meson.build
+++ b/target/loongarch/meson.build
@@ -30,4 +30,4 @@ common_ss.add(when: 'CONFIG_LOONGARCH_DIS', if_true: [files('disas.c'), gen])
 loongarch_ss.add_all(when: 'CONFIG_TCG', if_true: [loongarch_tcg_ss])
 
 target_arch += {'loongarch': loongarch_ss}
-target_softmmu_arch += {'loongarch': loongarch_system_ss}
+target_system_arch += {'loongarch': loongarch_system_ss}
diff --git a/target/m68k/meson.build b/target/m68k/meson.build
index 355db26c6f..8d3f9ce288 100644
--- a/target/m68k/meson.build
+++ b/target/m68k/meson.build
@@ -16,4 +16,4 @@ m68k_system_ss.add(files(
 ))
 
 target_arch += {'m68k': m68k_ss}
-target_softmmu_arch += {'m68k': m68k_system_ss}
+target_system_arch += {'m68k': m68k_system_ss}
diff --git a/target/microblaze/meson.build b/target/microblaze/meson.build
index 50fd9ff378..3ed4fbb67a 100644
--- a/target/microblaze/meson.build
+++ b/target/microblaze/meson.build
@@ -17,4 +17,4 @@ microblaze_system_ss.add(files(
 ))
 
 target_arch += {'microblaze': microblaze_ss}
-target_softmmu_arch += {'microblaze': microblaze_system_ss}
+target_system_arch += {'microblaze': microblaze_system_ss}
diff --git a/target/mips/meson.build b/target/mips/meson.build
index f35e8f0eca..e57ef24ecf 100644
--- a/target/mips/meson.build
+++ b/target/mips/meson.build
@@ -19,5 +19,5 @@ endif
 mips_ss.add(when: 'CONFIG_KVM', if_true: files('kvm.c'))
 
 target_arch += {'mips': mips_ss}
-target_softmmu_arch += {'mips': mips_system_ss}
+target_system_arch += {'mips': mips_system_ss}
 target_user_arch += {'mips': mips_user_ss}
diff --git a/target/nios2/meson.build b/target/nios2/meson.build
index 8f0f9dc628..12d8abf0bd 100644
--- a/target/nios2/meson.build
+++ b/target/nios2/meson.build
@@ -14,4 +14,4 @@ nios2_system_ss.add(files(
 ))
 
 target_arch += {'nios2': nios2_ss}
-target_softmmu_arch += {'nios2': nios2_system_ss}
+target_system_arch += {'nios2': nios2_system_ss}
diff --git a/target/openrisc/meson.build b/target/openrisc/meson.build
index c1cd943f78..31608b6dc7 100644
--- a/target/openrisc/meson.build
+++ b/target/openrisc/meson.build
@@ -22,4 +22,4 @@ openrisc_system_ss.add(files(
 ))
 
 target_arch += {'openrisc': openrisc_ss}
-target_softmmu_arch += {'openrisc': openrisc_system_ss}
+target_system_arch += {'openrisc': openrisc_system_ss}
diff --git a/target/ppc/meson.build b/target/ppc/meson.build
index 4c2635039e..97ceb6e7c0 100644
--- a/target/ppc/meson.build
+++ b/target/ppc/meson.build
@@ -55,4 +55,4 @@ ppc_system_ss.add(when: 'TARGET_PPC64', if_true: files(
 ))
 
 target_arch += {'ppc': ppc_ss}
-target_softmmu_arch += {'ppc': ppc_system_ss}
+target_system_arch += {'ppc': ppc_system_ss}
diff --git a/target/riscv/meson.build b/target/riscv/meson.build
index 660078bda1..ff60b21d04 100644
--- a/target/riscv/meson.build
+++ b/target/riscv/meson.build
@@ -39,4 +39,4 @@ riscv_system_ss.add(files(
 ))
 
 target_arch += {'riscv': riscv_ss}
-target_softmmu_arch += {'riscv': riscv_system_ss}
+target_system_arch += {'riscv': riscv_system_ss}
diff --git a/target/rx/meson.build b/target/rx/meson.build
index 8de0ad49b9..d196737ce3 100644
--- a/target/rx/meson.build
+++ b/target/rx/meson.build
@@ -13,4 +13,4 @@ rx_ss.add(files(
   'disas.c'))
 
 target_arch += {'rx': rx_ss}
-target_softmmu_arch += {'rx': ss.source_set()}
+target_system_arch += {'rx': ss.source_set()}
diff --git a/target/s390x/meson.build b/target/s390x/meson.build
index 42ed38942a..02ca43d9f0 100644
--- a/target/s390x/meson.build
+++ b/target/s390x/meson.build
@@ -40,5 +40,5 @@ subdir('tcg')
 subdir('kvm')
 
 target_arch += {'s390x': s390x_ss}
-target_softmmu_arch += {'s390x': s390x_system_ss}
+target_system_arch += {'s390x': s390x_system_ss}
 target_user_arch += {'s390x': s390x_user_ss}
diff --git a/target/sh4/meson.build b/target/sh4/meson.build
index a78e9ec7e4..fe09f96684 100644
--- a/target/sh4/meson.build
+++ b/target/sh4/meson.build
@@ -11,4 +11,4 @@ sh4_system_ss = ss.source_set()
 sh4_system_ss.add(files('monitor.c'))
 
 target_arch += {'sh4': sh4_ss}
-target_softmmu_arch += {'sh4': sh4_system_ss}
+target_system_arch += {'sh4': sh4_system_ss}
diff --git a/target/sparc/meson.build b/target/sparc/meson.build
index d32e67b287..48025cce76 100644
--- a/target/sparc/meson.build
+++ b/target/sparc/meson.build
@@ -20,4 +20,4 @@ sparc_system_ss.add(files(
 ))
 
 target_arch += {'sparc': sparc_ss}
-target_softmmu_arch += {'sparc': sparc_system_ss}
+target_system_arch += {'sparc': sparc_system_ss}
diff --git a/target/tricore/meson.build b/target/tricore/meson.build
index 34825b6048..45f49f0128 100644
--- a/target/tricore/meson.build
+++ b/target/tricore/meson.build
@@ -12,4 +12,4 @@ tricore_ss.add(zlib)
 tricore_system_ss = ss.source_set()
 
 target_arch += {'tricore': tricore_ss}
-target_softmmu_arch += {'tricore': tricore_system_ss}
+target_system_arch += {'tricore': tricore_system_ss}
diff --git a/target/xtensa/meson.build b/target/xtensa/meson.build
index 95692bd75f..f8d60101e3 100644
--- a/target/xtensa/meson.build
+++ b/target/xtensa/meson.build
@@ -24,4 +24,4 @@ xtensa_system_ss.add(files(
 ))
 
 target_arch += {'xtensa': xtensa_ss}
-target_softmmu_arch += {'xtensa': xtensa_system_ss}
+target_system_arch += {'xtensa': xtensa_system_ss}
