diff --git a/configs/example/gem5_library/x86-gapbs-benchmarks.py b/configs/example/gem5_library/x86-gapbs-benchmarks.py
index 4078811..bdc0d94 100644
--- a/configs/example/gem5_library/x86-gapbs-benchmarks.py
+++ b/configs/example/gem5_library/x86-gapbs-benchmarks.py
@@ -216,6 +216,7 @@
 
 root.sim_quantum = int(1e9)
 
+board._pre_instantiate()
 m5.instantiate()
 
 # We maintain the wall clock time.
diff --git a/configs/example/gem5_library/x86-npb-benchmarks.py b/configs/example/gem5_library/x86-npb-benchmarks.py
index b3a78c2..385760c 100644
--- a/configs/example/gem5_library/x86-npb-benchmarks.py
+++ b/configs/example/gem5_library/x86-npb-benchmarks.py
@@ -218,6 +218,7 @@
 
 root.sim_quantum = int(1e9)
 
+board._pre_instantiate()
 m5.instantiate()
 
 # We maintain the wall clock time.
diff --git a/configs/example/gem5_library/x86-parsec-benchmarks.py b/configs/example/gem5_library/x86-parsec-benchmarks.py
index 08fa636..8218380 100644
--- a/configs/example/gem5_library/x86-parsec-benchmarks.py
+++ b/configs/example/gem5_library/x86-parsec-benchmarks.py
@@ -204,6 +204,7 @@
 
 root.sim_quantum = int(1e9)
 
+board._pre_instantiate()
 m5.instantiate()
 
 # We maintain the wall clock time.
diff --git a/configs/example/gem5_library/x86-spec-cpu2006-benchmarks.py b/configs/example/gem5_library/x86-spec-cpu2006-benchmarks.py
index 0bdc5ed..d656e61 100644
--- a/configs/example/gem5_library/x86-spec-cpu2006-benchmarks.py
+++ b/configs/example/gem5_library/x86-spec-cpu2006-benchmarks.py
@@ -274,6 +274,7 @@
 
 root.sim_quantum = int(1e9)
 
+board._pre_instantiate()
 m5.instantiate()
 
 # We maintain the wall clock time.
diff --git a/configs/example/gem5_library/x86-spec-cpu2017-benchmarks.py b/configs/example/gem5_library/x86-spec-cpu2017-benchmarks.py
index 6b0cc11..2bc948a 100644
--- a/configs/example/gem5_library/x86-spec-cpu2017-benchmarks.py
+++ b/configs/example/gem5_library/x86-spec-cpu2017-benchmarks.py
@@ -290,6 +290,7 @@
 
 root.sim_quantum = int(1e9)
 
+board._pre_instantiate()
 m5.instantiate()
 
 # We maintain the wall clock time.
diff --git a/src/python/gem5/components/boards/abstract_board.py b/src/python/gem5/components/boards/abstract_board.py
index 720aaca..4ea8866 100644
--- a/src/python/gem5/components/boards/abstract_board.py
+++ b/src/python/gem5/components/boards/abstract_board.py
@@ -112,8 +112,9 @@
         # Setup board properties unique to the board being constructed.
         self._setup_board()
 
-        # Connect the memory, processor, and cache hierarchy.
-        self._connect_things()
+        # A private variable to record whether `_connect_things` has been
+        # been called.
+        self._connect_things_called = False
 
     def get_processor(self) -> "AbstractProcessor":
         """Get the processor connected to the board.
@@ -341,8 +342,15 @@
         * The processor is incorporated after the cache hierarchy due to a bug
         noted here: https://gem5.atlassian.net/browse/GEM5-1113. Until this
         bug is fixed, this ordering must be maintained.
+        * Once this function is called `_connect_things_called` *must* be set
+        to `True`.
         """
 
+        if self._connect_things_called:
+            raise Exception(
+                "The `_connect_things` function has already been called."
+            )
+
         # Incorporate the memory into the motherboard.
         self.get_memory().incorporate_memory(self)
 
@@ -353,9 +361,49 @@
         # Incorporate the processor into the motherboard.
         self.get_processor().incorporate_processor(self)
 
+        self._connect_things_called = True
+
     def _post_instantiate(self):
         """Called to set up anything needed after m5.instantiate"""
         self.get_processor()._post_instantiate()
         if self.get_cache_hierarchy():
             self.get_cache_hierarchy()._post_instantiate()
         self.get_memory()._post_instantiate()
+
+    def _pre_instantiate(self):
+        """To be called immediately before m5.instantiate. This is where
+        `_connect_things` is executed by default."""
+
+        # Connect the memory, processor, and cache hierarchy.
+        self._connect_things()
+
+    def _connect_things_check(self):
+        """
+        Here we check that connect things has been called and throw an
+        Exception if it has not.
+
+        Since v22.1 `_connect_things` function has
+        been moved from the AbstractBoard constructor to the
+        `_pre_instantation` function. Users who have used the gem5 stdlib
+        components (i.e., boards which inherit from AbstractBoard) and the
+        Simulator module should notice no change. Those who do not use the
+        Simulator module and instead called `m5.instantiate` directly must
+        call `AbstractBoard._pre_instantation` prior so `_connect_things` is
+        called. In order to avoid confusion, this check has been incorporated
+        and the Exception thrown explains the fix needed to convert old scripts
+        to function with v22.1.
+
+        This function is called in `AbstractSystemBoard.createCCObject` and
+        ArmBoard.createCCObject`. Both these functions override
+        `SimObject.createCCObject`. We can not do that here as AbstractBoard
+        does not inherit form System.
+        """
+        if not self._connect_things_called:
+            raise Exception(
+                """
+AbstractBoard's `_connect_things` function has not been called. This is likely
+due to not running a board outside of the gem5 Standard Library Simulator
+module. If this is the case, this can be resolved by calling
+`<AbstractBoard>._pre_instantiate()` prior to `m5.instantiate()`.
+"""
+            )
diff --git a/src/python/gem5/components/boards/abstract_system_board.py b/src/python/gem5/components/boards/abstract_system_board.py
index be39b4a..2812b37 100644
--- a/src/python/gem5/components/boards/abstract_system_board.py
+++ b/src/python/gem5/components/boards/abstract_system_board.py
@@ -27,8 +27,9 @@
 from abc import ABCMeta
 
 from .abstract_board import AbstractBoard
+from ...utils.override import overrides
 
-from m5.objects import System
+from m5.objects import System, SimObject
 
 
 class AbstractSystemBoard(System, AbstractBoard):
@@ -54,3 +55,12 @@
             memory=memory,
             cache_hierarchy=cache_hierarchy,
         )
+
+    @overrides(SimObject)
+    def createCCObject(self):
+        """We override this function as it is called in `m5.instantiate`. This
+        means we can insert a check to ensure the `_connect_things` function
+        has been run.
+        """
+        super()._connect_things_check()
+        super().createCCObject()
diff --git a/src/python/gem5/components/boards/arm_board.py b/src/python/gem5/components/boards/arm_board.py
index eec9432..afb5cd6 100644
--- a/src/python/gem5/components/boards/arm_board.py
+++ b/src/python/gem5/components/boards/arm_board.py
@@ -44,6 +44,7 @@
     ArmDefaultRelease,
     VExpress_GEM5_Base,
     VExpress_GEM5_Foundation,
+    SimObject,
 )
 
 import os
@@ -388,3 +389,12 @@
             "rw",
             "mem=%s" % self.get_memory().get_size(),
         ]
+
+    @overrides(SimObject)
+    def createCCObject(self):
+        """We override this function as it is called in `m5.instantiate`. This
+        means we can insert a check to ensure the `_connect_things` function
+        has been run.
+        """
+        super()._connect_things_check()
+        super().createCCObject()
diff --git a/src/python/gem5/simulate/simulator.py b/src/python/gem5/simulate/simulator.py
index b45ff55..5a4ab17 100644
--- a/src/python/gem5/simulate/simulator.py
+++ b/src/python/gem5/simulate/simulator.py
@@ -377,6 +377,11 @@
         """
 
         if not self._instantiated:
+
+            # Before anything else we run the AbstractBoard's
+            # `_pre_instantiate` function.
+            self._board._pre_instantiate()
+
             root = Root(
                 full_system=self._full_system
                 if self._full_system is not None
diff --git a/tests/gem5/configs/boot_kvm_fork_run.py b/tests/gem5/configs/boot_kvm_fork_run.py
index 8a28608..18f6e9d 100644
--- a/tests/gem5/configs/boot_kvm_fork_run.py
+++ b/tests/gem5/configs/boot_kvm_fork_run.py
@@ -211,7 +211,7 @@
 
 # Disable the gdb ports. Required for forking.
 m5.disableAllListeners()
-
+motherboard._pre_instantiate()
 m5.instantiate()
 
 # Simulate the inital boot with the starting KVM cpu
diff --git a/tests/gem5/traffic_gen/simple_traffic_run.py b/tests/gem5/traffic_gen/simple_traffic_run.py
index bfd21fe..4e381550 100644
--- a/tests/gem5/traffic_gen/simple_traffic_run.py
+++ b/tests/gem5/traffic_gen/simple_traffic_run.py
@@ -201,6 +201,7 @@
 
 root = Root(full_system=False, system=motherboard)
 
+motherboard._pre_instantiate()
 m5.instantiate()
 
 generator.start_traffic()