diff --git a/meson.build b/meson.build
index da225d68a7..6d5d1b914b 100644
--- a/meson.build
+++ b/meson.build
@@ -1925,7 +1925,14 @@ specific_ss.add(when: 'CONFIG_TCG', if_true: files(
   'tcg/tcg-op.c',
   'tcg/tcg.c',
 ))
-specific_ss.add(when: 'CONFIG_TCG_INTERPRETER', if_true: files('tcg/tci.c'))
+
+if get_option('tcg_interpreter')
+  libffi = dependency('libffi', version: '>=3.0',
+                      static: enable_static, method: 'pkg-config',
+                      required: true)
+  specific_ss.add(libffi)
+  specific_ss.add(files('tcg/tci.c'))
+endif
 
 subdir('backends')
 subdir('disas')
diff --git a/include/exec/helper-ffi.h b/include/exec/helper-ffi.h
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..3af1065af3
--- /dev/null
+++ b/include/exec/helper-ffi.h
@@ -0,0 +1,115 @@
+/*
+ * Helper file for declaring TCG helper functions.
+ * This one defines data structures private to tcg.c.
+ */
+
+#ifndef HELPER_FFI_H
+#define HELPER_FFI_H 1
+
+#include "exec/helper-head.h"
+
+#define dh_ffitype_i32  &ffi_type_uint32
+#define dh_ffitype_s32  &ffi_type_sint32
+#define dh_ffitype_int  &ffi_type_sint
+#define dh_ffitype_i64  &ffi_type_uint64
+#define dh_ffitype_s64  &ffi_type_sint64
+#define dh_ffitype_f16  &ffi_type_uint32
+#define dh_ffitype_f32  &ffi_type_uint32
+#define dh_ffitype_f64  &ffi_type_uint64
+#ifdef TARGET_LONG_BITS
+# if TARGET_LONG_BITS == 32
+#  define dh_ffitype_tl &ffi_type_uint32
+# else
+#  define dh_ffitype_tl &ffi_type_uint64
+# endif
+#endif
+#define dh_ffitype_ptr  &ffi_type_pointer
+#define dh_ffitype_cptr &ffi_type_pointer
+#define dh_ffitype_void &ffi_type_void
+#define dh_ffitype_noreturn &ffi_type_void
+#define dh_ffitype_env  &ffi_type_pointer
+#define dh_ffitype(t) glue(dh_ffitype_, t)
+
+#define DEF_HELPER_FLAGS_0(NAME, FLAGS, ret)    \
+    static ffi_cif glue(cif_,NAME) = {          \
+        .rtype = dh_ffitype(ret), .nargs = 0,   \
+    };
+
+#define DEF_HELPER_FLAGS_1(NAME, FLAGS, ret, t1)                        \
+    static ffi_type *glue(cif_args_,NAME)[1] = { dh_ffitype(t1) };      \
+    static ffi_cif glue(cif_,NAME) = {                                  \
+        .rtype = dh_ffitype(ret), .nargs = 1,                           \
+        .arg_types = glue(cif_args_,NAME),                              \
+    };
+
+#define DEF_HELPER_FLAGS_2(NAME, FLAGS, ret, t1, t2)    \
+    static ffi_type *glue(cif_args_,NAME)[2] = {        \
+        dh_ffitype(t1), dh_ffitype(t2)                  \
+    };                                                  \
+    static ffi_cif glue(cif_,NAME) = {                  \
+        .rtype = dh_ffitype(ret), .nargs = 2,           \
+        .arg_types = glue(cif_args_,NAME),              \
+    };
+
+#define DEF_HELPER_FLAGS_3(NAME, FLAGS, ret, t1, t2, t3)        \
+    static ffi_type *glue(cif_args_,NAME)[3] = {                \
+        dh_ffitype(t1), dh_ffitype(t2), dh_ffitype(t3)          \
+    };                                                          \
+    static ffi_cif glue(cif_,NAME) = {                          \
+        .rtype = dh_ffitype(ret), .nargs = 3,                   \
+        .arg_types = glue(cif_args_,NAME),                      \
+    };
+
+#define DEF_HELPER_FLAGS_4(NAME, FLAGS, ret, t1, t2, t3, t4)            \
+    static ffi_type *glue(cif_args_,NAME)[4] = {                        \
+        dh_ffitype(t1), dh_ffitype(t2), dh_ffitype(t3), dh_ffitype(t4)  \
+    };                                                                  \
+    static ffi_cif glue(cif_,NAME) = {                                  \
+        .rtype = dh_ffitype(ret), .nargs = 4,                           \
+        .arg_types = glue(cif_args_,NAME),                              \
+    };
+
+#define DEF_HELPER_FLAGS_5(NAME, FLAGS, ret, t1, t2, t3, t4, t5)        \
+    static ffi_type *glue(cif_args_,NAME)[5] = {                        \
+        dh_ffitype(t1), dh_ffitype(t2), dh_ffitype(t3),                 \
+        dh_ffitype(t4), dh_ffitype(t5)                                  \
+    };                                                                  \
+    static ffi_cif glue(cif_,NAME) = {                                  \
+        .rtype = dh_ffitype(ret), .nargs = 5,                           \
+        .arg_types = glue(cif_args_,NAME),                              \
+    };
+
+#define DEF_HELPER_FLAGS_6(NAME, FLAGS, ret, t1, t2, t3, t4, t5, t6)    \
+    static ffi_type *glue(cif_args_,NAME)[6] = {                        \
+        dh_ffitype(t1), dh_ffitype(t2), dh_ffitype(t3),                 \
+        dh_ffitype(t4), dh_ffitype(t5), dh_ffitype(t6)                  \
+    };                                                                  \
+    static ffi_cif glue(cif_,NAME) = {                                  \
+        .rtype = dh_ffitype(ret), .nargs = 6,                           \
+        .arg_types = glue(cif_args_,NAME),                              \
+    };
+
+#define DEF_HELPER_FLAGS_7(NAME, FLAGS, ret, t1, t2, t3, t4, t5, t6, t7) \
+    static ffi_type *glue(cif_args_,NAME)[7] = {                        \
+        dh_ffitype(t1), dh_ffitype(t2), dh_ffitype(t3),                 \
+        dh_ffitype(t4), dh_ffitype(t5), dh_ffitype(t6), dh_ffitype(t7)  \
+    };                                                                  \
+    static ffi_cif glue(cif_,NAME) = {                                  \
+        .rtype = dh_ffitype(ret), .nargs = 7,                           \
+        .arg_types = glue(cif_args_,NAME),                              \
+    };
+
+#include "helper.h"
+#include "trace/generated-helpers.h"
+#include "tcg-runtime.h"
+
+#undef DEF_HELPER_FLAGS_0
+#undef DEF_HELPER_FLAGS_1
+#undef DEF_HELPER_FLAGS_2
+#undef DEF_HELPER_FLAGS_3
+#undef DEF_HELPER_FLAGS_4
+#undef DEF_HELPER_FLAGS_5
+#undef DEF_HELPER_FLAGS_6
+#undef DEF_HELPER_FLAGS_7
+
+#endif /* HELPER_FFI_H */
diff --git a/include/exec/helper-tcg.h b/include/exec/helper-tcg.h
index 27870509a2..a71b848576 100644
--- a/include/exec/helper-tcg.h
+++ b/include/exec/helper-tcg.h
@@ -10,50 +10,57 @@
    to get all the macros expanded first.  */
 #define str(s) #s
 
+#ifdef CONFIG_TCG_INTERPRETER
+# define DO_CIF(NAME)  .cif = &cif_##NAME,
+#else
+# define DO_CIF(NAME)
+#endif
+
 #define DEF_HELPER_FLAGS_0(NAME, FLAGS, ret) \
-  { .func = HELPER(NAME), .name = str(NAME), \
+  { .func = HELPER(NAME), DO_CIF(NAME) .name = str(NAME), \
     .flags = FLAGS | dh_callflag(ret), \
     .sizemask = dh_sizemask(ret, 0) },
 
 #define DEF_HELPER_FLAGS_1(NAME, FLAGS, ret, t1) \
-  { .func = HELPER(NAME), .name = str(NAME), \
+  { .func = HELPER(NAME), DO_CIF(NAME) .name = str(NAME), \
     .flags = FLAGS | dh_callflag(ret), \
     .sizemask = dh_sizemask(ret, 0) | dh_sizemask(t1, 1) },
 
 #define DEF_HELPER_FLAGS_2(NAME, FLAGS, ret, t1, t2) \
-  { .func = HELPER(NAME), .name = str(NAME), \
+  { .func = HELPER(NAME), DO_CIF(NAME) .name = str(NAME), \
     .flags = FLAGS | dh_callflag(ret), \
     .sizemask = dh_sizemask(ret, 0) | dh_sizemask(t1, 1) \
     | dh_sizemask(t2, 2) },
 
 #define DEF_HELPER_FLAGS_3(NAME, FLAGS, ret, t1, t2, t3) \
-  { .func = HELPER(NAME), .name = str(NAME), \
+  { .func = HELPER(NAME), DO_CIF(NAME) .name = str(NAME), \
     .flags = FLAGS | dh_callflag(ret), \
     .sizemask = dh_sizemask(ret, 0) | dh_sizemask(t1, 1) \
     | dh_sizemask(t2, 2) | dh_sizemask(t3, 3) },
 
 #define DEF_HELPER_FLAGS_4(NAME, FLAGS, ret, t1, t2, t3, t4) \
-  { .func = HELPER(NAME), .name = str(NAME), \
+  { .func = HELPER(NAME), DO_CIF(NAME) .name = str(NAME), \
     .flags = FLAGS | dh_callflag(ret), \
     .sizemask = dh_sizemask(ret, 0) | dh_sizemask(t1, 1) \
     | dh_sizemask(t2, 2) | dh_sizemask(t3, 3) | dh_sizemask(t4, 4) },
 
 #define DEF_HELPER_FLAGS_5(NAME, FLAGS, ret, t1, t2, t3, t4, t5) \
-  { .func = HELPER(NAME), .name = str(NAME), \
+  { .func = HELPER(NAME), DO_CIF(NAME) .name = str(NAME), \
     .flags = FLAGS | dh_callflag(ret), \
     .sizemask = dh_sizemask(ret, 0) | dh_sizemask(t1, 1) \
     | dh_sizemask(t2, 2) | dh_sizemask(t3, 3) | dh_sizemask(t4, 4) \
     | dh_sizemask(t5, 5) },
 
 #define DEF_HELPER_FLAGS_6(NAME, FLAGS, ret, t1, t2, t3, t4, t5, t6) \
-  { .func = HELPER(NAME), .name = str(NAME), \
+  { .func = HELPER(NAME), DO_CIF(NAME) .name = str(NAME), \
     .flags = FLAGS | dh_callflag(ret), \
     .sizemask = dh_sizemask(ret, 0) | dh_sizemask(t1, 1) \
     | dh_sizemask(t2, 2) | dh_sizemask(t3, 3) | dh_sizemask(t4, 4) \
     | dh_sizemask(t5, 5) | dh_sizemask(t6, 6) },
 
 #define DEF_HELPER_FLAGS_7(NAME, FLAGS, ret, t1, t2, t3, t4, t5, t6, t7) \
-  { .func = HELPER(NAME), .name = str(NAME), .flags = FLAGS, \
+  { .func = HELPER(NAME), DO_CIF(NAME) .name = str(NAME), \
+    .flags = FLAGS | dh_callflag(ret), \
     .sizemask = dh_sizemask(ret, 0) | dh_sizemask(t1, 1) \
     | dh_sizemask(t2, 2) | dh_sizemask(t3, 3) | dh_sizemask(t4, 4) \
     | dh_sizemask(t5, 5) | dh_sizemask(t6, 6) | dh_sizemask(t7, 7) },
@@ -64,6 +71,7 @@
 #include "plugin-helpers.h"
 
 #undef str
+#undef DO_CIF
 #undef DEF_HELPER_FLAGS_0
 #undef DEF_HELPER_FLAGS_1
 #undef DEF_HELPER_FLAGS_2
diff --git a/target/hppa/helper.h b/target/hppa/helper.h
index 2d483aab58..35c612f09d 100644
--- a/target/hppa/helper.h
+++ b/target/hppa/helper.h
@@ -1,9 +1,11 @@
 #if TARGET_REGISTER_BITS == 64
 # define dh_alias_tr     i64
 # define dh_is_64bit_tr  1
+# define dh_ffitype_tr   dh_ffitype_i64
 #else
 # define dh_alias_tr     i32
 # define dh_is_64bit_tr  0
+# define dh_ffitype_tr   dh_ffitype_i32
 #endif
 #define dh_ctype_tr      target_ureg
 #define dh_is_signed_tr  0
diff --git a/target/i386/ops_sse_header.h b/target/i386/ops_sse_header.h
index 6c0c849347..cae50f77eb 100644
--- a/target/i386/ops_sse_header.h
+++ b/target/i386/ops_sse_header.h
@@ -27,13 +27,19 @@
 #define dh_alias_Reg ptr
 #define dh_alias_ZMMReg ptr
 #define dh_alias_MMXReg ptr
+
 #define dh_ctype_Reg Reg *
 #define dh_ctype_ZMMReg ZMMReg *
 #define dh_ctype_MMXReg MMXReg *
+
 #define dh_is_signed_Reg dh_is_signed_ptr
 #define dh_is_signed_ZMMReg dh_is_signed_ptr
 #define dh_is_signed_MMXReg dh_is_signed_ptr
 
+#define dh_ffitype_Reg  dh_ffitype_ptr
+#define dh_ffitype_ZMMReg  dh_ffitype_ptr
+#define dh_ffitype_MMXReg  dh_ffitype_ptr
+
 DEF_HELPER_3(glue(psrlw, SUFFIX), void, env, Reg, Reg)
 DEF_HELPER_3(glue(psraw, SUFFIX), void, env, Reg, Reg)
 DEF_HELPER_3(glue(psllw, SUFFIX), void, env, Reg, Reg)
diff --git a/target/m68k/helper.h b/target/m68k/helper.h
index 77808497a9..672c99d5de 100644
--- a/target/m68k/helper.h
+++ b/target/m68k/helper.h
@@ -18,6 +18,7 @@ DEF_HELPER_4(cas2l_parallel, void, env, i32, i32, i32)
 #define dh_alias_fp ptr
 #define dh_ctype_fp FPReg *
 #define dh_is_signed_fp dh_is_signed_ptr
+#define dh_ffitype_fp dh_ffitype_ptr
 
 DEF_HELPER_3(exts32, void, env, fp, s32)
 DEF_HELPER_3(extf32, void, env, fp, f32)
diff --git a/target/ppc/helper.h b/target/ppc/helper.h
index 6a4dccf70c..bbd4700064 100644
--- a/target/ppc/helper.h
+++ b/target/ppc/helper.h
@@ -108,10 +108,12 @@ DEF_HELPER_FLAGS_1(ftsqrt, TCG_CALL_NO_RWG_SE, i32, i64)
 #define dh_alias_avr ptr
 #define dh_ctype_avr ppc_avr_t *
 #define dh_is_signed_avr dh_is_signed_ptr
+#define dh_ffitype_avr dh_ffitype_ptr
 
 #define dh_alias_vsr ptr
 #define dh_ctype_vsr ppc_vsr_t *
 #define dh_is_signed_vsr dh_is_signed_ptr
+#define dh_ffitype_vsr dh_ffitype_ptr
 
 DEF_HELPER_3(vavgub, void, avr, avr, avr)
 DEF_HELPER_3(vavguh, void, avr, avr, avr)
@@ -696,6 +698,7 @@ DEF_HELPER_3(store_601_batu, void, env, i32, tl)
 #define dh_alias_fprp ptr
 #define dh_ctype_fprp ppc_fprp_t *
 #define dh_is_signed_fprp dh_is_signed_ptr
+#define dh_ffitype_fprp dh_ffitype_ptr
 
 DEF_HELPER_4(dadd, void, env, fprp, fprp, fprp)
 DEF_HELPER_4(daddq, void, env, fprp, fprp, fprp)
diff --git a/tcg/tcg.c b/tcg/tcg.c
index 2991112829..6382112215 100644
--- a/tcg/tcg.c
+++ b/tcg/tcg.c
@@ -66,6 +66,10 @@
 #include "exec/log.h"
 #include "sysemu/sysemu.h"
 
+#ifdef CONFIG_TCG_INTERPRETER
+#include <ffi.h>
+#endif
+
 /* Forward declarations for functions declared in tcg-target.c.inc and
    used here. */
 static void tcg_target_init(TCGContext *s);
@@ -1082,6 +1086,9 @@ void tcg_pool_reset(TCGContext *s)
 
 typedef struct TCGHelperInfo {
     void *func;
+#ifdef CONFIG_TCG_INTERPRETER
+    ffi_cif *cif;
+#endif
     const char *name;
     unsigned flags;
     unsigned sizemask;
@@ -1089,6 +1096,10 @@ typedef struct TCGHelperInfo {
 
 #include "exec/helper-proto.h"
 
+#ifdef CONFIG_TCG_INTERPRETER
+#include "exec/helper-ffi.h"
+#endif
+
 static const TCGHelperInfo all_helpers[] = {
 #include "exec/helper-tcg.h"
 };
@@ -1136,6 +1147,15 @@ void tcg_context_init(TCGContext *s)
                             (gpointer)&all_helpers[i]);
     }
 
+#ifdef CONFIG_TCG_INTERPRETER
+    for (i = 0; i < ARRAY_SIZE(all_helpers); ++i) {
+        ffi_cif *cif = all_helpers[i].cif;
+        ffi_status ok = ffi_prep_cif(cif, FFI_DEFAULT_ABI, cif->nargs,
+                                     cif->rtype, cif->arg_types);
+        tcg_debug_assert(ok == FFI_OK);
+    }
+#endif
+
     tcg_target_init(s);
     process_op_defs(s);
 
diff --git a/tests/docker/dockerfiles/fedora.docker b/tests/docker/dockerfiles/fedora.docker
index 0d7602abbe..45fc1a77bd 100644
--- a/tests/docker/dockerfiles/fedora.docker
+++ b/tests/docker/dockerfiles/fedora.docker
@@ -32,6 +32,7 @@ ENV PACKAGES \
     libcurl-devel \
     libepoxy-devel \
     libfdt-devel \
+    libffi-devel \
     libiscsi-devel \
     libjpeg-devel \
     libpmem-devel \
