diff --git a/hypervisor/arch/x86/guest/vm.c b/hypervisor/arch/x86/guest/vm.c
index 29b7cd9fd..fb37ebea2 100644
--- a/hypervisor/arch/x86/guest/vm.c
+++ b/hypervisor/arch/x86/guest/vm.c
@@ -11,24 +11,11 @@
 
 /* Local variables */
 
-/* VMs list */
-struct list_head vm_list = {
-	.next = &vm_list,
-	.prev = &vm_list,
-};
-
-/* Lock for VMs list */
-spinlock_t vm_list_lock = {
-	.head = 0U,
-	.tail = 0U
-};
-
 static struct vm vm_array[CONFIG_MAX_VM_NUM] __aligned(CPU_PAGE_SIZE);
 
-#ifndef CONFIG_PARTITION_MODE
-/* used for vmid allocation. And this means the max vm number is 64 */
 static uint64_t vmid_bitmap;
 
+/* used for vmid allocation. And this means the max vm number is 64 */
 static inline uint16_t alloc_vm_id(void)
 {
 	uint16_t id = ffz64(vmid_bitmap);
@@ -47,7 +34,11 @@ static inline void free_vm_id(struct vm *vm)
 {
 	bitmap_clear_lock(vm->vm_id, &vmid_bitmap);
 }
-#endif
+
+static inline bool is_vm_valid(uint16_t vm_id)
+{
+	return bitmap_test(vm_id, &vmid_bitmap);
+}
 
 static void init_vm(struct vm_description *vm_desc,
 		struct vm *vm_handle)
@@ -75,20 +66,11 @@ static void init_vm(struct vm_description *vm_desc,
  */
 struct vm *get_vm_from_vmid(uint16_t vm_id)
 {
-	struct vm *vm = NULL;
-	struct list_head *pos;
-
-	spinlock_obtain(&vm_list_lock);
-	list_for_each(pos, &vm_list) {
-		vm = list_entry(pos, struct vm, list);
-		if (vm->vm_id == vm_id) {
-			spinlock_release(&vm_list_lock);
-			return vm;
-		}
+	if (is_vm_valid(vm_id)) {
+		return &vm_array[vm_id];
+	} else {
+		return NULL;
 	}
-	spinlock_release(&vm_list_lock);
-
-	return NULL;
 }
 
 /**
@@ -102,6 +84,7 @@ int create_vm(struct vm_description *vm_desc, struct vm **rtn_vm)
 
 #ifdef CONFIG_PARTITION_MODE
 	vm_id = vm_desc->vm_id;
+	bitmap_set_lock(vm_id, &vmid_bitmap);
 #else
 	vm_id = alloc_vm_id();
 #endif
@@ -176,11 +159,6 @@ int create_vm(struct vm_description *vm_desc, struct vm **rtn_vm)
 #endif
 	}
 
-	INIT_LIST_HEAD(&vm->list);
-	spinlock_obtain(&vm_list_lock);
-	list_add(&vm->list, &vm_list);
-	spinlock_release(&vm_list_lock);
-
 	INIT_LIST_HEAD(&vm->softirq_dev_entry_list);
 	spinlock_init(&vm->softirq_dev_lock);
 	vm->intr_inject_delay_delta = 0UL;
@@ -270,10 +248,6 @@ int shutdown_vm(struct vm *vm)
 		destroy_vcpu(vcpu);
 	}
 
-	spinlock_obtain(&vm_list_lock);
-	list_del_init(&vm->list);
-	spinlock_release(&vm_list_lock);
-
 	ptdev_release_all_entries(vm);
 
 	/* cleanup vioapic */
diff --git a/hypervisor/debug/shell.c b/hypervisor/debug/shell.c
index 334dcb322..55b6cd591 100644
--- a/hypervisor/debug/shell.c
+++ b/hypervisor/debug/shell.c
@@ -525,17 +525,18 @@ static int shell_cmd_help(__unused int argc, __unused char **argv)
 static int shell_list_vm(__unused int argc, __unused char **argv)
 {
 	char temp_str[MAX_STR_SIZE];
-	struct list_head *pos;
 	struct vm *vm;
+	uint16_t idx;
+	char state[32];
 
 	shell_puts("\r\nVM NAME                  VM ID            VM STATE"
 		"\r\n=======                  =====            ========\r\n");
 
-	spinlock_obtain(&vm_list_lock);
-	list_for_each(pos, &vm_list) {
-		char state[32];
-
-		vm = list_entry(pos, struct vm, list);
+	for (idx = 0; idx < CONFIG_MAX_VM_NUM; idx++) {
+		vm = get_vm_from_vmid(idx);
+		if (vm == NULL) {
+			continue;
+		}
 		switch (vm->state) {
 		case VM_CREATED:
 			(void)strcpy_s(state, 32, "Created");
@@ -559,7 +560,6 @@ static int shell_list_vm(__unused int argc, __unused char **argv)
 		/* Output information for this task */
 		shell_puts(temp_str);
 	}
-	spinlock_release(&vm_list_lock);
 
 	return 0;
 }
@@ -567,19 +567,20 @@ static int shell_list_vm(__unused int argc, __unused char **argv)
 static int shell_list_vcpu(__unused int argc, __unused char **argv)
 {
 	char temp_str[MAX_STR_SIZE];
-	struct list_head *pos;
 	struct vm *vm;
 	struct vcpu *vcpu;
+	char state[32];
+	uint16_t i;
+	uint16_t idx;
 
 	shell_puts("\r\nVM ID    PCPU ID    VCPU ID    VCPU ROLE    VCPU STATE"
 		"\r\n=====    =======    =======    =========    ==========\r\n");
 
-	spinlock_obtain(&vm_list_lock);
-	list_for_each(pos, &vm_list) {
-		char state[32];
-		uint16_t i;
-
-		vm = list_entry(pos, struct vm, list);
+	for (idx = 0; idx < CONFIG_MAX_VM_NUM; idx++) {
+		vm = get_vm_from_vmid(idx);
+		if (vm == NULL) {
+			continue;
+		}
 		foreach_vcpu(i, vm, vcpu) {
 			switch (vcpu->state) {
 			case VCPU_INIT:
@@ -612,7 +613,6 @@ static int shell_list_vcpu(__unused int argc, __unused char **argv)
 			shell_puts(temp_str);
 		}
 	}
-	spinlock_release(&vm_list_lock);
 
 	return 0;
 }
diff --git a/hypervisor/include/arch/x86/guest/vm.h b/hypervisor/include/arch/x86/guest/vm.h
index 8e689fb92..b7e52eb20 100644
--- a/hypervisor/include/arch/x86/guest/vm.h
+++ b/hypervisor/include/arch/x86/guest/vm.h
@@ -139,7 +139,6 @@ struct vm {
 	struct acrn_vuart vuart;		/* Virtual UART */
 	enum vpic_wire_mode wire_mode;
 	struct iommu_domain *iommu;	/* iommu domain of this VM */
-	struct list_head list; /* list of VM */
 	spinlock_t spinlock;	/* Spin-lock used to protect VM modifications */
 
 	struct list_head mmio_list; /* list for mmio. This list is not updated
@@ -279,9 +278,6 @@ const struct vm_description_array *get_vm_desc_base(void);
 
 struct vm *get_vm_from_vmid(uint16_t vm_id);
 
-extern struct list_head vm_list;
-extern spinlock_t vm_list_lock;
-
 #ifdef CONFIG_PARTITION_MODE
 struct vm_description_array {
 	int                     num_vm_desc;